Chronic truancy continues to plague the National Dialogue and Reconciliation talks.

On Wednesday, a key session supposed to have discussed a roadmap towards a new constitution review process could not take place due to lack of quorum.

Not a single one of the eight negotiators put in an appearance, and nary a word of apology to chief mediator Oluyemi Adeniji!

The negotiators, four each from the ODM and PNU wings of Government, were apparently all busy with their ministerial responsibilities.

If this is of such an important national dialogue is not to be at the mercy of other priorities, then the principals on both sides, President Kibaki and Prime Minister Odinga, must intervene.

The eight negotiators-ministers Martha Karua, Mutula Kilonzo, Moses Wetangula and Samson Ongeri for the PNU wing; and Musalia Mudavadi, William Ruto, James Orengo and Sally Kosgei for ODM-must be made to understand that the national dialogue and process is far more important than routine ministerial functions or other political activities.

If they cannot balance their time properly, then it would be a simple matter for them to be given time out from their functions as Cabinet ministers so that they can devote all their attentions to the national dialogue, and surrogates could be appointed to sit in for them.

The creeping lack of interest in the ongoing talks by those supposed to be driving them represents a very dangerous trend indeed.

It may come out of grossly misplaced perceptions that because there is now a Grand Coalition Government in place, there is no longer need to move with speed on the remaining phases of the national dialogue process initially steered by former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

The fact of the matter is that there are still many and very weighty issues to be resolved if Kenya is to be spared the threat of regressing to the brink of civil war over future political contests.

In the wake of the disputed 2007 presidential elections, Kenya slid dangerously into chaos and anarchy.

It was to prevent a country once seen as an island of peace, democracy and stability becoming yet another failed African state that the national dialogue process was established.

Out of that came a cessation in the bloodletting and formation of the coalition government.

But we most never forget that a mere ceasefire and a temporary political accommodation cannot translate into an end to war.

The power-sharing deal was merely the butter that was supposed to make the political bread edible .That bread itself is far from baked yet.

True and lasting peace will only be guaranteed once and for all only once the underlying issues that caused Kenyans to turn against each other are comprehensively addressed to the satisfaction of all sides through the continuing national dialogue process.

The fact that there are so many outstanding matters can be gleaned from the manner in which the very ministers supposed to be negotiating are publicly exchanging words on very sensitive and potentially divisive and destabilising issues.

We have seen and heard, for instance, Agriculture minister William Ruto (ODM) pushing a campaign for the freedom of those arrested in the Rift Valley over their roles in the post-election ethnic-political violence; and Justice minister Martha Karua insisting that the law must be allowed to take its course.

We have also witnessed conflicting positions within government on issues such proposals for dialogue with the Mungiki sect; the use of the military in combating the Sabaot Land Defense Force of Mt Elgon district; the resettlement programme for those displaced by the post-election violence and so many other very sensitive issues.

It is sad that cabinet ministers taking such sensitive and delicate issues to the political soapbox, particularly when those ministers are supposed to be facing each other across the negotiation table at the Serena Hotel.

Remarkably,those are the issues that should be up for resolution at the negotiations and the various implementation mechanisms that will be set up to.

Matters to do with amnesty in the Rift Valley or dialogue with Mungiki and other militia groups, for instance, cannot be divorced from the overall process of dialogue and national reconciliation as might be captured under the Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Bill that was recently published.

The same applies to issues of resettlement and land, which would be better handled soberly under the right mechanisms rather than be turned into avenues for fresh political quarrels.

There are a host of issues to be addressed touching on historical injustices, human rights abuses, skewed allocation of national resources and many others that must be discussed at the appropriate forum.

It is only after all those issues have been discussed in a calm, thoughtful and reflective atmosphere that we will be able to dispense with the legal, administrative and constitutional reforms that will create a new Kenya which will never again face the threat of war and disintegration at every period of political competition.

This will not be an easy process. To succeed it requires all the political, will, support and goodwill available.

That level of support will only come about when those in positions of responsibility.