To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department is taking to build capacity to support democratic institutions in Kenya. (283150)

The Department for International Development (DFID) has provided consistent support to the political reform agenda in Kenya, through the national reconciliation process led by Kofi Annan, and support to parliamentary reform, public sector reform, land reform, police reform, public financial management reform and empowerment of civil society. In 2008-09 this support amounted to £3.6 million.

Other DFID programmes are helping to tackle some of the underlying causes of conflict and political tension, such as social and regional inequalities.

I and other Ministers, including the Prime Minister, maintain a dialogue with Kenyan politicians on the need to accelerate political reform in Kenya.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance his Department is providing to the government of Kenya for the promotion and implementation of the National Accord. (283151)

The UK Government are the leading donor to the process led by Kofi Annan to co-ordinate international support to the National Accord, which has included the Kriegler and Waki Commissions on elections and post-election violence; constitutional, judicial, police and electoral reforms, and the issue of impunity.

We have provided £1.4 million (£200,000 in 2007-08 and £1.2 million in 2008-09). All support has jointly been managed by the Department for International Development and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, through the Africa Conflict Prevention Programme. This money is provided through a trust fund rather than directly to the Government of Kenya, but it supports and stimulates the Government's leadership.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent steps his Department has taken to assist the development of civic society in Kenya. (283166)

Since 2000 the Department for International Development (DFID) has supported civil society in Kenya principally through its £7.5 million Political Empowerment Programme. Areas of support have included the National Civic Education Programme, gender, and anti-corruption and accountability work through NGOs such as Transparency International Kenya and the National Taxpayers Association. A further £1.2 million has been provided in 2008-09 to civil society organisations working on the peace and reform agenda following the post-election violence.

DFID is currently designing a new governance programme with Canada and Denmark which would increase our support to civil society in Kenya. Details will be finalised later this year.

In addition to the above, several civil society organisations working in Kenya have received funding from DFID's centrally-managed Governance and Transparency Fund and Civil Society Challenge Fund.