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Stop secret State deals
A new initiative to enhance transparency and accountability in the government’s dealings with other countries and foreign agencies is a welcome development. It is, in fact, long overdue as opaque transactions end up being quite costly in the long run.
To enhance public benefits, there will be no secrecy in the deals the government makes with other countries. Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, who holds the Foreign and Diaspora Affairs portfolio, says bilateral deals and treaties with other countries will be made public. This will be a part of the open government policy the country is going to adopt.
If all these deals are signed on behalf of the people and for their benefit, there is absolutely no reason why the details should be hidden. In the case of loans, it is the taxpayers, who end up footing the bills after being kept in the dark about those agreements signed by the government bureaucrats. Kenyan workers are, for example, suffering in foreign countries because of secretive labour contracts.
Mr Mudavadi has assured the people that all the deals will no longer be treated like “military secrets”, but will be made public once Parliament endorses them. And in this increasing digital world, the agreements will be uploaded on the ministry’s online portal for easy access by any interested Kenyans.
The Executive, a key arm of the government, should work openly with Parliament, which apart from making laws, is also a watchdog, as it is composed of the people’s representatives, whose job is to identify and articulate their interests. The third arm is the Judiciary, which administers justice and enables the maintenance of law and order.
The sessional paper on foreign policy that is being prepared should be operationalised immediately. No information should be hidden as the people have a right to know. The planned full disclosure should immensely foster accountability.