Gov't Gazzettes Uhuru-Raila Handshake Team as a Task Force

The 14-member team picked jointly by President Kenyatta and Opposition leader Raila Odinga to implement their March 9th handshake deal has been gazetted by the government as a taskforce.

The team will now adopt the name "Building Bridges to Unity Advisory Task Force", and is expected to present its comprehensive advice to President Kenyatta within a year.

In a gazette notice dated March 24th, Head of Public Service Joseph Kinyua said the task force’s terms of reference will be based on the joint communique issued by Kenyatta and Odinga at Harambee House on March 9th.

“In the performance of its functions, the task force shall outline the policy, administrative reform proposals, and implementation modalities for each identified challenge area [and] consider and propose appropriate mechanisms for coordination, collaboration and cooperation among institutions to bring about the sought changes,” Kinyua said.

The team, which is headed by Ambassador Martin Kimani and lawyer Paul Mwangi as joint secretaries, was unveiled on April 30th by President Kenyatta and Odinga 

Other members of the team include; Adams Oloo, Agnes Kavindu, Senator Amos Wako, Florence Omose, Prof Saeed Mwanguni , James Matundura, Major (rtd) John Seii, and Bishop Lawi Imathiu.

Others are Maison Leshomo, Senator Mohamed Yusuf Haji, Morompi ole Ronkai, Bishop Peter Njenga, Rose Moseu, and Archbishop Zecheus Okoth.

Uhuru and Raila identified ethnic antagonism and competition, lack of national ethos, inclusivity, devolution, divisive elections, safety and security, corruption, shared prosperity and responsibilities and rights as issues to be addressed by the team.