Kenyan rivals sign coalition deal
2 hours ago
NAIROBI (AFP) — Kenya's President Mwai Kibaki and opposition chief Raila Odinga signed an agreement Thursday to form a coalition government and end a two-month crisis that has claimed some 1,500 lives.
The two leaders, sitting side by side, signed the accord outside the president's office, in front of the chief mediator Kofi Annan and Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete, who heads the African Union.
"I am pleased to be able to tell you and the citizens of Kenya that the two leaders this afternoon completed work on ... how to overcome the political crisis," Annan told reporters.
"I commend all those whose efforts have made this possible," he added.
The deal creates the post of prime minister and two deputy prime ministers to end the impasse following the controversial presidential elections which both leaders claim they won.
Annan urged parliament to convene soon to enact the necessary laws to flesh out the deal.
On Tuesday, Annan had suspended talks between government and opposition negotiators after they failed to agree on a power-sharing deal to resolve the crisis that erupted after Odinga accused Kibaki of rigging the December polls.
Ensuing political rioting and tribal fighting killed at least 1,500 people and displaced hundreds of thousands.
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5ilE0E9D7VWmC-kokxIZfGhBx3uTg
Annan: Kenyan Leaders Strike Coalition Deal
By VOA News 28 February 2008
Former U.N. chief Kofi Annan addresses a press conference in NairobiFormer United Nations chief Kofi Annan says Kenya's political rivals have agreed to form a coalition government in an effort to end the country's political crisis.
Speaking in Nairobi Thursday, Mr. Annan said he would give details of the agreement at an upcoming news conference.
Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki and opposition leader Raila Odinga are expected to sign the agreement Thursday.
Mr. Annan has been leading talks to end the political crisis sparked by December's disputed presidential election.
The opposition accused President Kibaki of rigging the vote to ensure victory.
That election dispute sparked riots and ethnic clashes across Kenya that killed more than 1,000 people.
Signs of progress in the talks emerged Wednesday, when the opposition canceled plans for a nationwide rally, and President Kibaki said his government would create the posts of prime minister and two deputies under the current constitution.
Thursday's announcement came after Mr. Annan met with Mr. Kibaki, Mr. Odinga and African Union chief Jakaya Kikwete, the president of Tanzania.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.
http://voanews.com/english/2008-02-28-voa17.cfm
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1 comment:
Three cheers indeed!
It's an amazing break through coming so soon when the rest of us were getting desperate and angry on what was taking too long with the talks.
Let parliament now do it's work so that the country can move forward after being on suspense for more than two months.
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