The second round of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) Country Review for Kenya Commences on 16th July and runs through to 31st July 2011. H E Prof Amos Sawyer, the former president of Liberia , is already in the country to lead a panel of distinguished Africans who will carryout the review. The team is expected to meet the President and the prime minister on Monday before it embarks on its duty.
The review exercise is expected to highlight the progress made by the country, best practices in implementation of the national reform agenda as well as potential areas of constraints and challenges. The panel will compile a Country Review report to be tabled during the peer review for Kenya at the summit expected to take place in January 2011 in Addis Ababa , Ethiopia .
Speaking to journalist yesterday, at the Treasury buildings, where he was hosted by assistant minister for Planning, Peter Kenneth, Prof. Sawyer said that his panel with look into the progress made after the first review, identify the main challenges and suggest ways of addressing them. The main issues of concern will include ethnicity, poverty, the land question, corruption, inequality and unemployment among the youth.
The review will be carried out through a series of meetings and consultations with state and non-state actors including government officials, the civil society, religious leaders and various professionals. The panel will also organise various fora for members of the public to express their views in all counties.
The first country review for Kenya was carried out in 2006 with former South African first Lady DR. Graca Rachel as the lead panelist. The major successes of the First review, according to Mr. Kenneth, are the land reforms currently in progress and the setting up of the National Cohesion and Integration Commission to manage diversity in Kenya .
According to Prof Sawyer, APRM requires that a country carries out a review every 4 to 5 years and so far, 14 out of 30 member states have been reviewed. This is a voluntary self assessment that has been in place since 2003 and Prof Sawyer describes the progress made as ‘solid and encouraging’.
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