afrol News, 17 March - Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki has threatened to sack cabinet ministers who have expressed dissatisfaction with the Grand Coalition Government, saying the government will not collapse despite great divisions.

President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga formed the unity government in February last year, ending almost two months conflict after 2007 presidential election in December that killed more than 1, 000 people and displaced hundreds thousands more.

President Kibaki accused some cabinet ministers of taking Kenyans for granted by failing to raise pertinent issues, saying ministers dragging their feet will not distract the unity government from implementing development programmes.

He said the coalition government will serve its full term and is on course to fulfil its obligation by equitably distributing resources in all parts of the county and would remain responsive to the needs of all Kenyans.

President Kibaki trying to hold his cabinet together, issued a statement challenging disgruntled ministers to quit or risk being sacked. However, critiques have said the move could compromise the already fragile unity government.

"Those noisemakers will not distract the grand coalition government from implementing her priority programmes designed to empower Kenyans economically," he warned.

The coalition government has faced a number of hitches, with the country running out of maize stock piles and the opposition party demanding renegotiation of the power sharing deal, claiming the government has not given it enough authority and power.

The party which controls majority seats in parliament said they were given a raw deal in appointments to civil service, public corporations, and the security services, further saying the ODM has no authority to execute government assignment.

Kenya, the East Africa regional breadbasket, is still recovering from the post election conflict which almost crippled the country’s economy.

The International Monetary Fund has today warned that Kenya will not be able to issue its sovereign bond or realize the domestic revenues and privatization proceeds previously hoped for and contained in the approved 2008/09 budget, due to a slow down from the post election violence, the global shocks and domestic problems that led to shortages in the Maize stocks.

“Against this background, real GDP growth is likely to be lower, and inflation higher, than the authorities envisioned when the 2008/09 budget was submitted to Parliament in June 2008. In addition, the global financial crisis has made it unlikely that the government will be able to issue its sovereign bond or realize the domestic revenues and privatization proceeds previously hoped for and contained in the approved 2008/09 budget," said the IMF in a state today at the completion of its mission.

The IMF has urged Kenya to continue to advance structural and governance reforms to address increased risks arising from the external shocks and to improve Kenya’s long-term growth potential.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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