NAIROBI, July 1 (Xinhua) -- The European Union on Wednesday urged Kenyan leaders to speed up implementation of the political reforms to avert a return to violence as was witnessed during the 2007 polls.
Speaking in Nairobi, Swedish Ambassador to Kenya Anna Brandt said the 27-member political and economic bloc sees Kenya's current pace for implementation reforms as "too slow", promising to continue supporting the Kenyan government in the push for reforms.
"For EU, implementation of the National Accord and Reconciliation Act is vital for a peaceful and prosperous Kenya. We recognize that progress has been made but we believe that urgent and decisive action is needed to ensure full and timely implementation of the reforms set out in the National Accord," she said.
Brandt whose country has assumed the EU Presidency told a news conference in Nairobi that the EU considers a new constitution, electoral and judicial reforms... an end to impunity and extrajudicial killings by the security agents to be of particular importance.
"While acknowledging some progress made, the EU considers that further action is needed to ensure timely implementation of the reforms set out in Agenda 4," Brandt told journalists.
Agenda Item 4 deals with long-term issues such as land and constitutional reforms and is part of the National Accord that assigned early last year between the two ruling coalition partners, the Party of National Unity (PNU) led by President Mwai Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga's Orange Democratic Movement (ODM).
The two parties agreed a power-sharing deal last year to end post-election violence, which left some 1,200 people dead and forced 350,000 from their homes.
Speaking in Nairobi, Brandt said it will be "premature" for the27-member European bloc to pull out as "that won't help the current problems."
"Reforms should enhance protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms. The EU continues to support the efforts of (former UN chief) Kofi Annan as chair of the AU Panel of Eminent African Personalities," she said.
"The statement by Kofi Annan that the progress was too slow is one that we agree with," Brandt said, adding that the task of realizing reforms in the east African nation rested with the Parliament and other Kenyans."
Both Kibaki and Odinga who signed a power-sharing deal to end last year's bloody post-election crisis are facing a backlash from ordinary Kenyans angered and disillusioned by the coalition's policy inaction and corruption.
Head of European Commission Delegation to Kenya Eric van der Linden said that while President Kibaki and Prime Minister Odinga are determined to champion reforms, certain politicians including government officials have drawn their focus on 2012.
"It is unfortunate that the leaders were busy preparing themselves for the general election instead of concentrating on pressing issues such as insecurity, unemployment and poverty which seem to worsen everyday," Linden said.
"There is too much preparing for the 2012 elections without a focus on whether the country will be there after the elections. Vision 2030 is far away."
The EU head of the delegation appealed to Kenyans to hold their leaders accountable and ensure they live up to their promise to serve them as opposed to personal interests.
"Kenya has the potential to change its economy and reduce poverty if its resources are used for the purposes they are meant for," the envoy said.
Linden said 2015 was only a few years away yet the country is far from achieving the Millennium Development Goals. But he acknowledged that there is still time for the leaders to revamp the economy.
"The country has what it takes to be a star in economy, the tourism, landscape, agriculture, you have important resources that can create jobs and bring down poverty," said the envoy.
