Project Case Study
Establishing a new Prime Minister’s Office in Kenya
Creating a framework to establish a new Prime Minister's Office in Kenya
To overcome civil strife that resulted from disputed election results, in the spring of 2008, the leading Kenyan political parties signed an Agreement on the Principles of Partnership of the Coalition Government.
This provided a framework for power-sharing and the creation of a new post of Prime Minister for the duration of the coalition. As such, there was a pressing need to create a Prime Minister’s Office and to define its relationship with the rest of government.
We deployed a team to Nairobi to assist in the design, establishment and operation of the new Office of the Prime Minister. This work included providing support to the establishment of the finance and administrative functions of the office, a strategic capacity in co-ordination and delivery, the Prime Minister’s Personal Office, communications and the integration of departments to come under its remit. We worked with the Prime Minister, his Deputy Prime Ministers and the Principals of the Office of the Prime Minister in order to support the Grand Coalition as a whole in the business of government.
The work succeeded in embedding the Prime Minister’s Office within the policy process in a meaningful way, and taking forward the ‘Agreement on the Principles of Partnership of the Coalition Government,’ and thus helping avoid a resumption of conflict.
“The recommendations I table here, for the functions of my Office, are drawn up with the support of the world class advisers from Adam Smith International.”
Raila Odinga, the new Prime Minister of Kenya
