Odinga sworn in as Kenyan premier - BBC
Kenya's opposition leader Raila Odinga has officially become prime minister at the swearing-in of a coalition cabinet.
There was applause at State House after Mr Odinga read out his oath of office to be "faithful to the president of the Republic of Kenya".
His cabinet post is a key element of the power-sharing deal with President Mwai Kibaki to end a post-poll crisis.
Some 1,500 people died and 600,000 fled their homes in violence after a disputed presidential poll in December.
Mr Odinga, whose Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) is the largest party in parliament, said the presidential election was rigged in favour of Mr Kibaki.
The rivals signed a deal in February which prescribed an equal share of power.
Doubts
After a short piece of ceremonial music, there were Muslim, Christian and Hindu prayers before Mr Odinga came forward to take his oath of office in Swahili.
"I, Raila Amolo Odinga, do swear that I will be faithful to the president of the Republic of Kenya and to serve it with all my heart and that I shall preserve, protect and defend the constitution of Kenya by law established. So help me God."
KEY CABINET POSTS
Prime Minister: Raila Odinga (ODM)
Vice-President and Home Affairs: Kalonzo Musyoka (Pro-Kibaki)
Finance Minister: Amos Kimunya (Pro-Kibaki)
Deputy PM and Trade: Uhuru Kenyatta (Pro-Kibaki)
Deputy PM and Local Government: Musalia Mudavadi (ODM)
Agriculture Minister: William Ruto (ODM)
The ceremony was presided over by President Kibaki at State House, his official residence.
Mr Kibaki and Mr Odinga were allies in the 2001 election but fell out when the president did not name Mr Odinga prime minister after taking office, as they had reportedly agreed.
Some question whether the two men and their supporters can work together after such a bitter dispute.
Former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, who mediated the deal, was among the dignitaries who witnessed the ceremony in the capital, Nairobi.
Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni and other East African leaders were also in attendance.
The crisis in Kenya had an impact across the region.
Mr Annan said much work remained to be done, but he hoped the new government would form a "cohesive, effective and productive team".
The government includes 40 ministers and 52 deputy ministers, with posts evenly divided across the country's ethnic communities.
It is the largest cabinet that Kenya has seen since independence.
Big team
There has been criticism of its size and the cost to Kenyan taxpayers, says the BBC's Karen Allen in Nairobi.
Each minister is to be paid about $16,000 a month and entitled to two officials cars and five security personnel - and in the case of Mr Odinga, 45 security personnel.
Mr Odinga has said that he knows people would have preferred a leaner cabinet, but it was a price that had to be paid to balance everyone's interests.
Our correspondent says one of the first priorities for the new unity government will be resettling the tens of thousands of people still living rough after the post-election violence.
Longer term challenges will be constitutional change and land reform, she says.
The political violence also ignited land disputes between rival ethnic groups.
Another challenge will be to curb corruption which has blighted Kenya's government for many years.
Mr Kibaki was first elected on a pledge to tackle corruption but donors say little has changed.
Story from BBC NEWS:http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/africa/7351842.stm
Kenya's Raila Odinga Sworn in as Prime Minister, Ending Crisis
Bloomberg - 1 hour ago
By Eric Ombok April 17 (Bloomberg) -- Raila Odinga, the leader of Kenya's main opposition group, was sworn in as the country's prime minister, ...
Kenya's President Swears In Rival Odinga as Prime Minister Wall Street Journal
CHRONOLOGY-Turmoil in Kenya after disputed election Reuters
Kenya's new prime minister takes oath of office The Associated Press
Reuters India - The Associated Press
all 315 news articles »
PRESS TV
Commuters in Kenya suffer amid threats
Los Angeles Times, CA - 5 hours ago
From AP NAIROBI, KENYA -- Minibus drivers in the eastern part of this capital city largely stayed off the roads Wednesday after a notorious criminal gang ...
Kenya: Mungiki Strike Kibaki's Home Town AllAfrica.com
Four killed in fresh Kenya gang violence AFP
Kenya: Mungiki Outwitted Us, Govt Admits AllAfrica.com
The Associated Press - The Australian
all 233 news articles »
Daily Nation
Kenya: Vacate My House, Sect Boss Tells Police Officers
AllAfrica.com, Washington - 14 hours ago
Jailed Mungiki leader, Maina Njenga, has a chilling message for the police: Get out of my Kitengela home. Speaking to The Standard through an aide for the ...
Kenya: New Tension As Banned Sect Unleashes Terror AllAfrica.com
Kenya: Mungiki Suspect Lynched in Eldoret AllAfrica.com
Kenya: Mungiki Leader's Kin Want Police to Get Out of His House AllAfrica.com
Daily Nation - afrol News
all 54 news articles »
WHAT OTHERS SAY -
Rwanda-Uganda type pain could be good for Kenya
Daily Nation, Kenya - 3 hours ago
Had he done a wise thing, given that Kenya was still in the throes of political uncertainty, with the deadlock over the formation of the grand coalition ...
Kenya Is Attracting IPO Fever Wall Street Journal
Uganda: Share Appetite AllAfrica.com
Uganda: Safaricom IPO Dampens Local Stocks AllAfrica.com
AllAfrica.com
all 6 news articles »
Malaysia Star
Kenya swears in historic coalition cabinet
Malaysia Star, Malaysia - 7 minutes ago
By C. Bryson Hull and Wangui Kanina NAIROBI (Reuters) - Kenya swore in a power-sharing government on Thursday to soothe fury over a disputed election that ...
Kenya's new prime minister takes oath of office
The Associated Press - 44 minutes ago
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Kenya's opposition leader was sworn into office as the country's prime minister Thursday, fulfilling a key step in a power-sharing ...
Kenya unit eases slightly but seen in a range
Reuters South Africa, South Africa - 1 hour ago
NAIROBI (Reuters) - The Kenya shilling weakened marginally against the dollar on Thursday, but dealers expected it to hold steady as a more stable political ...
Kenya: Naming of Cabinet Rallies Shilling to 6-Month High AllAfrica.com
Kenya unit firms slightly vs dlr, demand slow Reuters
Kenya unit firms vs dlr to highest this year Reuters South Africa
all 5 news articles » NBO:KCBK
Kenya's coalition govt sworn in
ABC Online, Australia - 19 minutes ago
A new coalition government in Kenya has been sworn in, in a move aimed at unifying the country after December's disputed elections. ...
BBC News
Huge financial cost of Kenya cabinet
BBC News, UK - 40 minutes ago
By Adam Mynott The new Kenyan cabinet is the largest in the history of post-independence Kenya and it will come at a huge financial cost. ...
Euronews.net
Kenya swears in historic coalition cabinet
Euronews.net, France - 3 minutes ago
Each minister will reportedly be paid some 10000 euros a month, which by some estimates will total around 5 percent of Kenya's GDP.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Today's headlines - Wed 4/16/2008
Kenya cabinet risks ineptitude
By Otto Bakano, AFP
Published:Apr 16, 2008
NAIROBI - Kenya’s massive 42-member power-sharing cabinet, named to help restore stability after a bloody post-poll dispute, risks becoming crippled by inefficiency, analysts said.
President Mwai Kibaki on Sunday appointed political rival Raila Odinga as his prime minister under a February 28 power-sharing deal that ended months of political violence sparked by disputed December elections.
In the new cabinet - the biggest since its 1963 independence from Britain - Kibaki turned departments into ministries in order to create room for allies and reward loyalties.
"The size is too big and the chain of command is not clear. It is going to bring about some confusion," said Jeremiah Owiti of the Nairobi-based Centre for Independent Research.
But Kenyan politicians offered an upbeat assessment of the new government.
"The process of reconciliation has begun and the cabinet must speak in one voice," Odinga told reporters Monday, while a Kibaki ally, Foreign Affairs Minister Moses Wetangula, vowed that if members work as a team "we will deliver."
The naming of the cabinet had been delayed when Kibaki’s Party of National Unity (PNU) and Odinga’s Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) jousted for key ministries, leading to a collapse of negotiations on the government’s make-up.
"I see the next two years as partly peaceful and partly chaotic and this will not augur well for economic growth," Owiti told AFP.
More than 1,500 people were killed in violence that erupted after Odinga accused Kibaki of stealing his way to victory in the elections.
International monitors said the polls fell below international standards.
Painstaking talks by former United Nations (UN) chief Kofi Annan resulted in a power-sharing agreement that was enshrined in the constitution.
The deal created the posts of two deputy prime ministers who were picked from the feuding parties.
Kenyan civil society groups lament that several ministries overlap, chiefly citing the ministry of public health and sanitation with that of medical services.
Others include lifestock, fisheries and agriculture which had been under the same docket, but are now separate.
Roads was separated from public works, and industrialisation created from trade. Environment and mineral resources was separated from forestry and wildlife.
Gender and children’s affairs was split from youth and sports while Nairobi metropolitan was under local government, according to lists compiled by civil groups.
"I am very sceptical about the efficiency of the cabinet. I am not holding my breath to see huge development," said Maina Kiai, who heads the state-run Kenya National Commission on Human Rights.
"This is a continuation of political patronage. The size of the cabinet shows that it is business as usual," Kiai added.
Western powers lauded Kibaki for naming a new cabinet, with Washington terming it an "important first step" toward a solving the country’s political crisis.
But domestic reaction was more skeptical. "Is this the cabinet that will fight corruption and drive meaningful reform? I doubt it," wrote Maina Gaitho, a columnist with the top selling Daily Nation newspaper.
He accused Kibaki of retaining several close allies "who absolutely add no value to the cabinet" and Odinga of bringing on board "some of the most disreputable faces" of former president Daniel arap Moi’s regime.
"On both the PNU and ODM halves of the cabinet are well known thieves, plunderers and ethnic warlords," Gaitho said.
The new outfit replaces a 17-member cabinet Kibaki hastily assembled after taking office under a cloud of post-election controversy, but whose members nonetheless have been retained.
"It is very disappointing that we ended up with a top-heavy cabinet.
There can’t be any justification for that kind of cabinet," said Omweri Angima of the Centre for Multiparty Democracy.
In total, the new coalition government has 94 members, including the president. With almost half of the 222 lawmakers in government, parliament will thus become inefficient, said Mwalimu Mati of the Mars Group, a local civil rights organisation.
"The government is overly advantaged over parliament. This undermines parliament," he told AFP. "This makes it easier for unpopular bills to be pushed through."
http://www.thetimes.co.za/News/Article.aspx?id=749464
Kenya: Annan Returns to Celebrate Deal
The East African Standard (Nairobi)
16 April 2008Posted to the web 15 April 2008
Edith Fortunate
Nairobi
The former international civil servant who negotiated the peace deal returns, today, to celebrate its implementation.
The former United Nations Secretary-General, rose through the ranks at the United Nations to become its seventh Secretary-General in 1997.
Dr Kofi Annan, a Ghanaian, took over from Egypt's Boutros-Boutros Ghali and served at the helm of the global organisation between 1997 and 2006.
One of Annan's key priorities as secretary-general was to reform the UN. He faced formidable challenges, including the organisation's near bankruptcy.
He had to convince America to pay the UN the huge debts it owed.
Annan undertook a major initiative to reduce bureaucracy at the UN. At the headquarters in New York, he reduced the staff from 6,000 to 5,000.
A human rights, rule of law and the Millennium Development Goals' advocate in Africa, Annan sought to bring the UN closer to the public by forging ties with civil society, the private sector and other partners.
Peacekeeping was strengthened and this made it possible for the UN to cope with increasing conflicts, especially in Africa and other parts of the Third World.
It was, therefore, not a surprise when the former UN chief was appointed to broker a peace deal in Kenya after the disputed presidential election.
After two months of unprecedented violence, which led to the killing of more than 1,000 people, Kenyans praised Annan for negotiating the National Reconciliation Accord.
He arrived in the country on January 22, after regional leaders under the African Union (AU) failed to find a solution. He hit the ground running and brought together a mediation team comprising members from the two opposing sides - PNU and ODM.
President Kibaki's PNU insisted that the Head of State had won the elections fairly, while Raila's ODM maintained that its victory had been stolen.
In his first address to the nation, Annan said: "We are dealing with an extraordinary situation, so we need extra ordinary measures."
Initially, the talks were marred by chest thumping and the career diplomat had to take a walk in Uhuru Park, ostensibly to refresh his mind.
But Annan remained composed, insisting that he was optimistic of a solution.
"I will not leave until I find a solution. I will stay here as long as it takes," he said when asked whether the pace of the mediated talks had frustrated him.
Annan marshalled the international community to put pressure on the political divide, saying failure to agree was not an option.
On February 28, Kenyans sighed with relief when President Kibaki and Raila signed the accord. Emerging from Harambee House, Annan told anxious journalists: "We have a deal."
This sent wild celebrations across the country and they were sealed with a firm handshake between the two leaders. The deal ended the post-election crisis that had threatened to take the country to the brink, ushering in renewed optimism.
Relevant Links
East Africa Conflict, Peace and Security Kenya
Former US Ambassador to the UN, Mr Richard Holbrooke, once described Annan as "the best Secretary-General in the history of the UN".
In 2001, Annan and the UN received the Nobel Peace Prize. Awarding the global honour, the judges said: "The only negotiable road to global peace and co-operation goes by way of the United Nations. Annan has been pre-eminent in bringing new life to the organisation."
For most Kenyans, this could not have been more apt after the man saved the country from a possible meltdown.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200804151255.html
Kenya cabinet risks ineptitude
The Times, South Africa - 10 hours agoBy Otto Bakano, AFP NAIROBI - Kenya’s massive 42-member power-sharing cabinet, named to help restore stability after a bloody post-poll dispute, ...
Can Kenya's Power-Sharing Plan Work? TIMEFACTBOX-What next for Kenya's power-sharing deal? ReutersAllAfrica.com - AllAfrica.com
all 360 news articles »
Calgary Herald
Four killed in fresh Kenya gang violence
AFP - 19 hours agoNAIROBI (AFP) — Four more people died during a second day of nationwide rioting in Kenya Tuesday, bringing the overall toll to 19, in a crisis that ...
Kenya: Fears of violence snarl transport The Associated Press
Kenya peace rocked as gang kills 13 The Australian
Two killed as Kenya gang protests for second day Reuters
Pretoria News (subscription) - International Herald Tribune
all 400 news articles »
Monsters and Critics.com
Kenya: Mungiki Outwitted Us, Govt Admits
AllAfrica.com, Washington - 18 hours agoFirefighters put out a fire after youths believed to be members of the outlawed Mungiki sect petrol bombed a Kenya Bus vehicle at Kenyatta Market, Nairobi, ...
Kenya: New Tension As Banned Sect Unleashes Terror AllAfrica.com
Fresh deaths in Kenya sect riots BBC News
Kenya: Mungiki Leader's Kin Want Police to Get Out of His House AllAfrica.comDaily Nation - Monsters and Critics.com
all 66 news articles »
Kenya: Wild Animals Compete With Humans for Scarce Water Resources
AllAfrica.com, Washington - 1 hour agoA month after the rains were expected to start, northern Kenya is still gripped by drought conditions. Water pans, boreholes and wells have all dried up, ...
Kenya planning over-the-counter market - regulatorReuters South Africa, South Africa - 33 minutes agoNAIROBI (Reuters) - Kenya will introduce an alternative over-the-counter market to give small firms access to capital and provide a wider choice to ...
Kenya gang clears roads with threatsUSA Today - 5 hours agoNAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Minibus drivers in eastern Nairobi appear to be heeding a gang threat to behead anyone who defies orders to stay off the roads. ...
By Otto Bakano, AFP
Published:Apr 16, 2008
NAIROBI - Kenya’s massive 42-member power-sharing cabinet, named to help restore stability after a bloody post-poll dispute, risks becoming crippled by inefficiency, analysts said.
President Mwai Kibaki on Sunday appointed political rival Raila Odinga as his prime minister under a February 28 power-sharing deal that ended months of political violence sparked by disputed December elections.
In the new cabinet - the biggest since its 1963 independence from Britain - Kibaki turned departments into ministries in order to create room for allies and reward loyalties.
"The size is too big and the chain of command is not clear. It is going to bring about some confusion," said Jeremiah Owiti of the Nairobi-based Centre for Independent Research.
But Kenyan politicians offered an upbeat assessment of the new government.
"The process of reconciliation has begun and the cabinet must speak in one voice," Odinga told reporters Monday, while a Kibaki ally, Foreign Affairs Minister Moses Wetangula, vowed that if members work as a team "we will deliver."
The naming of the cabinet had been delayed when Kibaki’s Party of National Unity (PNU) and Odinga’s Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) jousted for key ministries, leading to a collapse of negotiations on the government’s make-up.
"I see the next two years as partly peaceful and partly chaotic and this will not augur well for economic growth," Owiti told AFP.
More than 1,500 people were killed in violence that erupted after Odinga accused Kibaki of stealing his way to victory in the elections.
International monitors said the polls fell below international standards.
Painstaking talks by former United Nations (UN) chief Kofi Annan resulted in a power-sharing agreement that was enshrined in the constitution.
The deal created the posts of two deputy prime ministers who were picked from the feuding parties.
Kenyan civil society groups lament that several ministries overlap, chiefly citing the ministry of public health and sanitation with that of medical services.
Others include lifestock, fisheries and agriculture which had been under the same docket, but are now separate.
Roads was separated from public works, and industrialisation created from trade. Environment and mineral resources was separated from forestry and wildlife.
Gender and children’s affairs was split from youth and sports while Nairobi metropolitan was under local government, according to lists compiled by civil groups.
"I am very sceptical about the efficiency of the cabinet. I am not holding my breath to see huge development," said Maina Kiai, who heads the state-run Kenya National Commission on Human Rights.
"This is a continuation of political patronage. The size of the cabinet shows that it is business as usual," Kiai added.
Western powers lauded Kibaki for naming a new cabinet, with Washington terming it an "important first step" toward a solving the country’s political crisis.
But domestic reaction was more skeptical. "Is this the cabinet that will fight corruption and drive meaningful reform? I doubt it," wrote Maina Gaitho, a columnist with the top selling Daily Nation newspaper.
He accused Kibaki of retaining several close allies "who absolutely add no value to the cabinet" and Odinga of bringing on board "some of the most disreputable faces" of former president Daniel arap Moi’s regime.
"On both the PNU and ODM halves of the cabinet are well known thieves, plunderers and ethnic warlords," Gaitho said.
The new outfit replaces a 17-member cabinet Kibaki hastily assembled after taking office under a cloud of post-election controversy, but whose members nonetheless have been retained.
"It is very disappointing that we ended up with a top-heavy cabinet.
There can’t be any justification for that kind of cabinet," said Omweri Angima of the Centre for Multiparty Democracy.
In total, the new coalition government has 94 members, including the president. With almost half of the 222 lawmakers in government, parliament will thus become inefficient, said Mwalimu Mati of the Mars Group, a local civil rights organisation.
"The government is overly advantaged over parliament. This undermines parliament," he told AFP. "This makes it easier for unpopular bills to be pushed through."
http://www.thetimes.co.za/News/Article.aspx?id=749464
Kenya: Annan Returns to Celebrate Deal
The East African Standard (Nairobi)
16 April 2008Posted to the web 15 April 2008
Edith Fortunate
Nairobi
The former international civil servant who negotiated the peace deal returns, today, to celebrate its implementation.
The former United Nations Secretary-General, rose through the ranks at the United Nations to become its seventh Secretary-General in 1997.
Dr Kofi Annan, a Ghanaian, took over from Egypt's Boutros-Boutros Ghali and served at the helm of the global organisation between 1997 and 2006.
One of Annan's key priorities as secretary-general was to reform the UN. He faced formidable challenges, including the organisation's near bankruptcy.
He had to convince America to pay the UN the huge debts it owed.
Annan undertook a major initiative to reduce bureaucracy at the UN. At the headquarters in New York, he reduced the staff from 6,000 to 5,000.
A human rights, rule of law and the Millennium Development Goals' advocate in Africa, Annan sought to bring the UN closer to the public by forging ties with civil society, the private sector and other partners.
Peacekeeping was strengthened and this made it possible for the UN to cope with increasing conflicts, especially in Africa and other parts of the Third World.
It was, therefore, not a surprise when the former UN chief was appointed to broker a peace deal in Kenya after the disputed presidential election.
After two months of unprecedented violence, which led to the killing of more than 1,000 people, Kenyans praised Annan for negotiating the National Reconciliation Accord.
He arrived in the country on January 22, after regional leaders under the African Union (AU) failed to find a solution. He hit the ground running and brought together a mediation team comprising members from the two opposing sides - PNU and ODM.
President Kibaki's PNU insisted that the Head of State had won the elections fairly, while Raila's ODM maintained that its victory had been stolen.
In his first address to the nation, Annan said: "We are dealing with an extraordinary situation, so we need extra ordinary measures."
Initially, the talks were marred by chest thumping and the career diplomat had to take a walk in Uhuru Park, ostensibly to refresh his mind.
But Annan remained composed, insisting that he was optimistic of a solution.
"I will not leave until I find a solution. I will stay here as long as it takes," he said when asked whether the pace of the mediated talks had frustrated him.
Annan marshalled the international community to put pressure on the political divide, saying failure to agree was not an option.
On February 28, Kenyans sighed with relief when President Kibaki and Raila signed the accord. Emerging from Harambee House, Annan told anxious journalists: "We have a deal."
This sent wild celebrations across the country and they were sealed with a firm handshake between the two leaders. The deal ended the post-election crisis that had threatened to take the country to the brink, ushering in renewed optimism.
Relevant Links
East Africa Conflict, Peace and Security Kenya
Former US Ambassador to the UN, Mr Richard Holbrooke, once described Annan as "the best Secretary-General in the history of the UN".
In 2001, Annan and the UN received the Nobel Peace Prize. Awarding the global honour, the judges said: "The only negotiable road to global peace and co-operation goes by way of the United Nations. Annan has been pre-eminent in bringing new life to the organisation."
For most Kenyans, this could not have been more apt after the man saved the country from a possible meltdown.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200804151255.html
Kenya cabinet risks ineptitude
The Times, South Africa - 10 hours agoBy Otto Bakano, AFP NAIROBI - Kenya’s massive 42-member power-sharing cabinet, named to help restore stability after a bloody post-poll dispute, ...
Can Kenya's Power-Sharing Plan Work? TIMEFACTBOX-What next for Kenya's power-sharing deal? ReutersAllAfrica.com - AllAfrica.com
all 360 news articles »
Calgary Herald
Four killed in fresh Kenya gang violence
AFP - 19 hours agoNAIROBI (AFP) — Four more people died during a second day of nationwide rioting in Kenya Tuesday, bringing the overall toll to 19, in a crisis that ...
Kenya: Fears of violence snarl transport The Associated Press
Kenya peace rocked as gang kills 13 The Australian
Two killed as Kenya gang protests for second day Reuters
Pretoria News (subscription) - International Herald Tribune
all 400 news articles »
Monsters and Critics.com
Kenya: Mungiki Outwitted Us, Govt Admits
AllAfrica.com, Washington - 18 hours agoFirefighters put out a fire after youths believed to be members of the outlawed Mungiki sect petrol bombed a Kenya Bus vehicle at Kenyatta Market, Nairobi, ...
Kenya: New Tension As Banned Sect Unleashes Terror AllAfrica.com
Fresh deaths in Kenya sect riots BBC News
Kenya: Mungiki Leader's Kin Want Police to Get Out of His House AllAfrica.comDaily Nation - Monsters and Critics.com
all 66 news articles »
Kenya: Wild Animals Compete With Humans for Scarce Water Resources
AllAfrica.com, Washington - 1 hour agoA month after the rains were expected to start, northern Kenya is still gripped by drought conditions. Water pans, boreholes and wells have all dried up, ...
Kenya planning over-the-counter market - regulatorReuters South Africa, South Africa - 33 minutes agoNAIROBI (Reuters) - Kenya will introduce an alternative over-the-counter market to give small firms access to capital and provide a wider choice to ...
Kenya gang clears roads with threatsUSA Today - 5 hours agoNAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Minibus drivers in eastern Nairobi appear to be heeding a gang threat to behead anyone who defies orders to stay off the roads. ...
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Today's Headlines - Tues 4/15/2008
FACTBOX: What next for Kenya's power-sharing deal?
Reuters
Tue Apr 15, 2008 10:39am EDT
(Reuters) - A second day of violent protests by Kenya's feared Mungiki criminal gang on Tuesday overshadowed the re-opening of Kenya's parliament, which is facing a heavy reform agenda after a post-election crisis.
The trouble also underscored one of many challenges -- in this case, security -- that Kenya's two-day-old power-sharing government is tasked with tackling. Here are answers to some questions about what may happen next:
HOW FAR HAVE THE TWO SIDES COME?
* The biggest hurdle looming after former U.N. chief Kofi Annan brokered a deal between President Mwai Kibaki and opposition leader Raila Odinga in February was creating a power-sharing cabinet. After six weeks of negotiations and a near-breakdown in the agreement, Kibaki on Sunday named the 41-member cabinet that made Odinga only the second prime minister in Kenyan history. Founding President Jomo Kenyatta was prime minister for barely a year before his title was changed. It also created the costliest and largest cabinet in Kenya's 45 years of independence.
The size and cost -- estimated to be $1 billion a year or about 5 percent of Kenya's GDP -- has been criticized by Kenyans and rights activists as extravagant. Investors say it will be a drag on the economy.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT?
The two sides must now work together on revamping the constitution. The crisis laid bare issues of land, power and wealth that have divided Kenya's 42 ethnic groups almost since the current charter was drafted on the eve of independence.
Many have tried and failed since the 1990s to revise it to trim the president's vast powers, introduce checks and balances and eliminate loopholes put in place by Kenyatta and his successor, Daniel arap Moi.
In 2005, Odinga and his allies at the time, including new Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka, defeated a Kibaki-backed draft in a contentious referendum. So most Kenyans expect the road ahead to be rocky -- especially with such an unwieldy and divided cabinet.
HOW WILL THE ECONOMY FARE?
The shilling currency has been the strongest barometer of confidence, and has risen after every positive political move.
It has appreciated past pre-election levels now -- last regularly seen about 10 years ago -- and most dealers expect it to strengthen barring any major political setback. Dealers used to the noisy, rambunctious nature of Kenya's politicians say the market will shrug off anything that does not truly threaten the coalition.
The political harm to the economy has been compounded by inflation which hit 21 percent in March. But the stock market may be somewhat insulated because of overwhelming regional and foreign interest in the recent IPO by mobile firm Safaricom, the region's biggest share offering. The tourism industry is marketing heavily to make up lost arrivals, and it hopes to see some success by year's end.
CAN THE COALITION HOLD TOGETHER?
If history is any measure, that is questionable.
Odinga and Kibaki teamed up to win the 2002 election, but rarely agreed after the president took power. Odinga said Kibaki reneged on a promise to make him prime minister after that election. Kibaki fired Odinga from the cabinet in 2005, after the constitutional referendum.
The deal brokered in February says the coalition can be broken three ways: if parliament is dissolved, if the parties agree to it in writing, or if one party withdraws.
That gives both sides the power to ruin things, but diplomats say pressure from Kenyans and the international community should prevent that.
(Writing by Bryson Hull; Editing by Stephen Weeks)
© Reuters 2007. All rights reserved.
Reuters
Tue Apr 15, 2008 10:39am EDT
(Reuters) - A second day of violent protests by Kenya's feared Mungiki criminal gang on Tuesday overshadowed the re-opening of Kenya's parliament, which is facing a heavy reform agenda after a post-election crisis.
The trouble also underscored one of many challenges -- in this case, security -- that Kenya's two-day-old power-sharing government is tasked with tackling. Here are answers to some questions about what may happen next:
HOW FAR HAVE THE TWO SIDES COME?
* The biggest hurdle looming after former U.N. chief Kofi Annan brokered a deal between President Mwai Kibaki and opposition leader Raila Odinga in February was creating a power-sharing cabinet. After six weeks of negotiations and a near-breakdown in the agreement, Kibaki on Sunday named the 41-member cabinet that made Odinga only the second prime minister in Kenyan history. Founding President Jomo Kenyatta was prime minister for barely a year before his title was changed. It also created the costliest and largest cabinet in Kenya's 45 years of independence.
The size and cost -- estimated to be $1 billion a year or about 5 percent of Kenya's GDP -- has been criticized by Kenyans and rights activists as extravagant. Investors say it will be a drag on the economy.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT?
The two sides must now work together on revamping the constitution. The crisis laid bare issues of land, power and wealth that have divided Kenya's 42 ethnic groups almost since the current charter was drafted on the eve of independence.
Many have tried and failed since the 1990s to revise it to trim the president's vast powers, introduce checks and balances and eliminate loopholes put in place by Kenyatta and his successor, Daniel arap Moi.
In 2005, Odinga and his allies at the time, including new Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka, defeated a Kibaki-backed draft in a contentious referendum. So most Kenyans expect the road ahead to be rocky -- especially with such an unwieldy and divided cabinet.
HOW WILL THE ECONOMY FARE?
The shilling currency has been the strongest barometer of confidence, and has risen after every positive political move.
It has appreciated past pre-election levels now -- last regularly seen about 10 years ago -- and most dealers expect it to strengthen barring any major political setback. Dealers used to the noisy, rambunctious nature of Kenya's politicians say the market will shrug off anything that does not truly threaten the coalition.
The political harm to the economy has been compounded by inflation which hit 21 percent in March. But the stock market may be somewhat insulated because of overwhelming regional and foreign interest in the recent IPO by mobile firm Safaricom, the region's biggest share offering. The tourism industry is marketing heavily to make up lost arrivals, and it hopes to see some success by year's end.
CAN THE COALITION HOLD TOGETHER?
If history is any measure, that is questionable.
Odinga and Kibaki teamed up to win the 2002 election, but rarely agreed after the president took power. Odinga said Kibaki reneged on a promise to make him prime minister after that election. Kibaki fired Odinga from the cabinet in 2005, after the constitutional referendum.
The deal brokered in February says the coalition can be broken three ways: if parliament is dissolved, if the parties agree to it in writing, or if one party withdraws.
That gives both sides the power to ruin things, but diplomats say pressure from Kenyans and the international community should prevent that.
(Writing by Bryson Hull; Editing by Stephen Weeks)
© Reuters 2007. All rights reserved.
Monday, April 14, 2008
More headlines - Mon 4/14/2008
Deal draws Kenya back from brink
By Adam Mynott BBC News, Nairobi
Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki strode out of State House in Nairobi with the opposition leader, Raila Odinga, alongside him in a symbolic display of unity.
Nearly six weeks ago, the two men agreed to form a grand coalition government to rescue their country from weeks of violence, anger and mistrust.
But the deal came close to total collapse during the past week as the two men and their followers were unable to agree on how to share power.
A month of negotiations had apparently led nowhere, but then on Saturday night word came through that a deal had at last been secured.
On the lawn of State House, as the final bars of the Kenyan National anthem drifted away on the afternoon breeze, Mr Kibaki launched into his address.
He was being watched by millions of Kenyans on television, to whom he paid tribute for their patience.
The president also congratulated Mr Odinga for "upholding the spirit of dialogue which enabled us to unlock the political deadlock".
'Portfolio parity'
The deadlock had been over how to share out the ministerial posts in the coalition government.
The National Accord and Reconciliation Act, which the two men had signed at the end of February, prescribed an equal share of power.
KEY CABINET POSTS
Prime Minister: Raila Odinga
Vice-President and Home Affairs: Kalonzo Musyoka
Finance Minister: Amos Kimunya
Deputy PM and Trade: Uhuru Kenyatta
Deputy PM and Local Government: Musalia Mudavadi
Agriculture Minister: William Ruto
But that had been made difficult because Mr Kibaki had already announced half a cabinet weeks earlier - including almost all the most powerful jobs.
Mr Odinga and his party, the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), insisted an equal share of power included not just numerical parity in the cabinet, but also "portfolio parity".
At issue were the foreign affairs, cabinet affairs, energy, roads and local government portfolios.
President Kibaki and his Party of National Unity (PNU) appeared unwilling to yield anything and, with talks deadlocked Mr Odinga announced that the ODM would take no further part in any negotiations.
Getting the five cabinet posts represented "our irreducible minimum", he said.
So, when word came through that a deal had been done, the assumption was that the ODM had secured what they were after.
'Concessions'
Mr Kibaki left the announcement of the cabinet until the close of his televised address on Sunday afternoon.
It appears that Mr Odinga has yielded much - he has certainly dipped below his 'irreducible minimum'
He announced that Mr Odinga was to be the new prime minister as expected.
Local government went to Musalia Mudavadi, one of Mr Odinga's right-hand men, who was also given one of the deputy prime minister posts.
But, foreign affairs stayed with the PNU, so too roads and energy. Cabinet affairs is no longer a cabinet position.
It appears that Mr Odinga has yielded much. He has certainly dipped below his "irreducible minimum".
Nonetheless a senior ODM official to whom I spoke said they were happy with the agreed position, and that "there had been concessions on both sides".
Momentous achievement
The ODM has secured some important posts.
James Orengo is the new minister of land. Bitter historical arguments over land lay at the heart of much of the violence which broke out earlier this year and the ODM's influence here could be crucial.
It is also widely believed that the current administration will not make it through a five-year term and that ODM will be using the positions they have been allocated to plan for the next election.
Probably most important of all is what Mr Odinga makes of his new role as prime minister.
He insists it carries genuine executive power. How he wields that power and how skilful he is at making his mark right across the administration will be vital.
Given the acrimony and violence that has characterised Kenya for the past three months, the deal announced on Sunday is a momentous achievement.
The country could easily have slipped back into violence and there are many Kenyans who still feel very aggrieved.
It will be down to the politicians and their leadership to move the country back from the precipice.
Story from BBC NEWS:http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/africa/7345617.stm
Published: 2008/04/13 19:35:42 GMT© BBC MMVIII
Q&A: Kenya peace deal - BBC
Kenya's President Mwai Kibaki has announced a new cabinet to cement a power-sharing deal designed to end the country's political crisis following controversial 27 December presidential elections.
Opposition leader Raila Odinga, who said he had been robbed of victory in the poll, has become prime minister under the power-sharing agreement.
What is in the deal?
The new post of prime minister has been created by changing the constitution.
The prime minister will have considerable powers and crucially can only be sacked by parliament, not the president, as Mr Kibaki's supporters had demanded.
Mr Odinga's Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) is the largest party in parliament.
The 40 cabinet posts have been divided evenly.
Both the president and prime minister must agree to sack any ministers.
Two deputy PMs have also been created - one from the ruling Party of National Unity and one from the ODM.
The cabinet will work on framing a new constitution over the next year that will tackle long-standing grievances over land, wealth and power.
Will it hold?
Former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan spent more than a month thrashing out the details in February, backed by up political heavyweights such as US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and African Union chairman and Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete.
Western countries have threatened sanctions against those seen as blocking a peace deal.
But the key is whether the two men trust each other - if they don't it will be hard for them to govern Kenya together.
Mr Kibaki and Mr Odinga have worked together in the past - during Mr Kibaki's successful 2002 election campaign.
But they then fell out, after Mr Kibaki reneged on an agreement to make Mr Odinga prime minister.
This history is one reason why it took so long for them to reach a deal.
Furthermore, both sides have accused each other of "ethnic cleansing" - it may be difficult for their supporters to forgive and forget.
What was behind the violence?
Some 600,000 people fled their homes, with people targeted according to their ethnic group.
The immediate trigger was the disputed election results.
But ethnic tension, which has dogged Kenyan politics since independence in 1963, lay behind much of the violence.
With patronage and corruption still common, many Kenyans believe that if one of their relatives is in power, they will benefit directly, for example through a relative getting a civil service job.
The current tensions can be traced back to the 1990s, when the then-President Daniel arap Moi was forced to introduce multi-party politics.
Members of Mr Moi's Kalenjin ethnic group - the dominant group in the Rift Valley Province - felt threatened by the move.
Since then the Kalenjins have fought for a federalist system with more economic autonomy and supported Mr Odinga to this end in the run-up to the 2007 polls.
Mr Odinga, from the Luo community, has a fairly wide support base across ethnic groups and has portrayed himself as challenging Kenya's political establishment. He promised during his campaign to address the extreme income inequalities in the country.
KENYA'S ETHINC GROUPS
Population: 34m, comprising more than 40 ethnic groups
Kikuyu: 22%
Luhya: 14%
Luo: 13%
Kalenjin: 12%
Kamba: 11%
President Kibaki, who in 2002 ended more than two-decades of rule by Mr Moi's Kanu party in widely praised polls, has promised economic devolution.
The concept of federalism evokes emotional responses from his camp, who claim it is a recipe for ethnic violence.
Under his presidency, the economy has been growing steadily, but most Kenyans have not yet felt the benefits.
In the overcrowded slums around Nairobi, residents have to cope with violent gangs, no sewers (people use plastic bags as toilets and throw them out of the window) and intermittent electricity.
Mr Kibaki depends heavily on the votes of Kikuyus, the largest ethnic group in the country, but also has support from smaller communities.
Who was involved in the violence?
Mainly people loyal to Mr Odinga, from various ethnic groups, attacked Kikuyus whom they saw as Mr Kibaki's supporters, as well as being relatively prosperous.
In Kisumu in the west, a heartland of Mr Odinga's ODM, and Mombasa on the coast, the violence was spontaneous and involved looting.
But in the Rift Valley Province - which witnessed most of the bloodshed, including 30 burned to death while sheltering in a church - there was reported to be a more orchestrated element.
Eyewitnesses in Molo reported seeing truckloads of Kalenjin gangs, armed with bows and arrows and some with guns, arriving in Kikuyu areas to torch houses.
Why does Kenya matter to the rest of the world?
It seems the outside world was caught somewhat unawares when the crisis erupted in a Kenya, which has been regarded as oasis of stability with a booming tourist trade.
But it is strategically important: Kenya has hosted regional peace talks and many humanitarian organisations are based there.
International pressure was crucial to getting former President Moi to step down before the last election.
Story from BBC NEWS:http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/africa/7165962.stm
Published: 2008/04/13 16:15:30 GMT© BBC MMVIII
By Adam Mynott BBC News, Nairobi
Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki strode out of State House in Nairobi with the opposition leader, Raila Odinga, alongside him in a symbolic display of unity.
Nearly six weeks ago, the two men agreed to form a grand coalition government to rescue their country from weeks of violence, anger and mistrust.
But the deal came close to total collapse during the past week as the two men and their followers were unable to agree on how to share power.
A month of negotiations had apparently led nowhere, but then on Saturday night word came through that a deal had at last been secured.
On the lawn of State House, as the final bars of the Kenyan National anthem drifted away on the afternoon breeze, Mr Kibaki launched into his address.
He was being watched by millions of Kenyans on television, to whom he paid tribute for their patience.
The president also congratulated Mr Odinga for "upholding the spirit of dialogue which enabled us to unlock the political deadlock".
'Portfolio parity'
The deadlock had been over how to share out the ministerial posts in the coalition government.
The National Accord and Reconciliation Act, which the two men had signed at the end of February, prescribed an equal share of power.
KEY CABINET POSTS
Prime Minister: Raila Odinga
Vice-President and Home Affairs: Kalonzo Musyoka
Finance Minister: Amos Kimunya
Deputy PM and Trade: Uhuru Kenyatta
Deputy PM and Local Government: Musalia Mudavadi
Agriculture Minister: William Ruto
But that had been made difficult because Mr Kibaki had already announced half a cabinet weeks earlier - including almost all the most powerful jobs.
Mr Odinga and his party, the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), insisted an equal share of power included not just numerical parity in the cabinet, but also "portfolio parity".
At issue were the foreign affairs, cabinet affairs, energy, roads and local government portfolios.
President Kibaki and his Party of National Unity (PNU) appeared unwilling to yield anything and, with talks deadlocked Mr Odinga announced that the ODM would take no further part in any negotiations.
Getting the five cabinet posts represented "our irreducible minimum", he said.
So, when word came through that a deal had been done, the assumption was that the ODM had secured what they were after.
'Concessions'
Mr Kibaki left the announcement of the cabinet until the close of his televised address on Sunday afternoon.
It appears that Mr Odinga has yielded much - he has certainly dipped below his 'irreducible minimum'
He announced that Mr Odinga was to be the new prime minister as expected.
Local government went to Musalia Mudavadi, one of Mr Odinga's right-hand men, who was also given one of the deputy prime minister posts.
But, foreign affairs stayed with the PNU, so too roads and energy. Cabinet affairs is no longer a cabinet position.
It appears that Mr Odinga has yielded much. He has certainly dipped below his "irreducible minimum".
Nonetheless a senior ODM official to whom I spoke said they were happy with the agreed position, and that "there had been concessions on both sides".
Momentous achievement
The ODM has secured some important posts.
James Orengo is the new minister of land. Bitter historical arguments over land lay at the heart of much of the violence which broke out earlier this year and the ODM's influence here could be crucial.
It is also widely believed that the current administration will not make it through a five-year term and that ODM will be using the positions they have been allocated to plan for the next election.
Probably most important of all is what Mr Odinga makes of his new role as prime minister.
He insists it carries genuine executive power. How he wields that power and how skilful he is at making his mark right across the administration will be vital.
Given the acrimony and violence that has characterised Kenya for the past three months, the deal announced on Sunday is a momentous achievement.
The country could easily have slipped back into violence and there are many Kenyans who still feel very aggrieved.
It will be down to the politicians and their leadership to move the country back from the precipice.
Story from BBC NEWS:http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/africa/7345617.stm
Published: 2008/04/13 19:35:42 GMT© BBC MMVIII
Q&A: Kenya peace deal - BBC
Kenya's President Mwai Kibaki has announced a new cabinet to cement a power-sharing deal designed to end the country's political crisis following controversial 27 December presidential elections.
Opposition leader Raila Odinga, who said he had been robbed of victory in the poll, has become prime minister under the power-sharing agreement.
What is in the deal?
The new post of prime minister has been created by changing the constitution.
The prime minister will have considerable powers and crucially can only be sacked by parliament, not the president, as Mr Kibaki's supporters had demanded.
Mr Odinga's Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) is the largest party in parliament.
The 40 cabinet posts have been divided evenly.
Both the president and prime minister must agree to sack any ministers.
Two deputy PMs have also been created - one from the ruling Party of National Unity and one from the ODM.
The cabinet will work on framing a new constitution over the next year that will tackle long-standing grievances over land, wealth and power.
Will it hold?
Former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan spent more than a month thrashing out the details in February, backed by up political heavyweights such as US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and African Union chairman and Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete.
Western countries have threatened sanctions against those seen as blocking a peace deal.
But the key is whether the two men trust each other - if they don't it will be hard for them to govern Kenya together.
Mr Kibaki and Mr Odinga have worked together in the past - during Mr Kibaki's successful 2002 election campaign.
But they then fell out, after Mr Kibaki reneged on an agreement to make Mr Odinga prime minister.
This history is one reason why it took so long for them to reach a deal.
Furthermore, both sides have accused each other of "ethnic cleansing" - it may be difficult for their supporters to forgive and forget.
What was behind the violence?
Some 600,000 people fled their homes, with people targeted according to their ethnic group.
The immediate trigger was the disputed election results.
But ethnic tension, which has dogged Kenyan politics since independence in 1963, lay behind much of the violence.
With patronage and corruption still common, many Kenyans believe that if one of their relatives is in power, they will benefit directly, for example through a relative getting a civil service job.
The current tensions can be traced back to the 1990s, when the then-President Daniel arap Moi was forced to introduce multi-party politics.
Members of Mr Moi's Kalenjin ethnic group - the dominant group in the Rift Valley Province - felt threatened by the move.
Since then the Kalenjins have fought for a federalist system with more economic autonomy and supported Mr Odinga to this end in the run-up to the 2007 polls.
Mr Odinga, from the Luo community, has a fairly wide support base across ethnic groups and has portrayed himself as challenging Kenya's political establishment. He promised during his campaign to address the extreme income inequalities in the country.
KENYA'S ETHINC GROUPS
Population: 34m, comprising more than 40 ethnic groups
Kikuyu: 22%
Luhya: 14%
Luo: 13%
Kalenjin: 12%
Kamba: 11%
President Kibaki, who in 2002 ended more than two-decades of rule by Mr Moi's Kanu party in widely praised polls, has promised economic devolution.
The concept of federalism evokes emotional responses from his camp, who claim it is a recipe for ethnic violence.
Under his presidency, the economy has been growing steadily, but most Kenyans have not yet felt the benefits.
In the overcrowded slums around Nairobi, residents have to cope with violent gangs, no sewers (people use plastic bags as toilets and throw them out of the window) and intermittent electricity.
Mr Kibaki depends heavily on the votes of Kikuyus, the largest ethnic group in the country, but also has support from smaller communities.
Who was involved in the violence?
Mainly people loyal to Mr Odinga, from various ethnic groups, attacked Kikuyus whom they saw as Mr Kibaki's supporters, as well as being relatively prosperous.
In Kisumu in the west, a heartland of Mr Odinga's ODM, and Mombasa on the coast, the violence was spontaneous and involved looting.
But in the Rift Valley Province - which witnessed most of the bloodshed, including 30 burned to death while sheltering in a church - there was reported to be a more orchestrated element.
Eyewitnesses in Molo reported seeing truckloads of Kalenjin gangs, armed with bows and arrows and some with guns, arriving in Kikuyu areas to torch houses.
Why does Kenya matter to the rest of the world?
It seems the outside world was caught somewhat unawares when the crisis erupted in a Kenya, which has been regarded as oasis of stability with a booming tourist trade.
But it is strategically important: Kenya has hosted regional peace talks and many humanitarian organisations are based there.
International pressure was crucial to getting former President Moi to step down before the last election.
Story from BBC NEWS:http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/africa/7165962.stm
Published: 2008/04/13 16:15:30 GMT© BBC MMVIII
Power-sharing cabinet appointed - Mon 4/14/2008
FACTBOX-What next for Kenya's power-sharing deal?
Sun Apr 13, 2008 12:08pm EDT
Related News
Kibaki will unveil new Kenyan cabinet
13 Apr 2008
Kibaki plans to unveil new Kenya cabinet
13 Apr 2008
Haiti’s government falls after food riots
12 Apr 2008
Kenyan leaders break deadlock on cabinet: sources
12 Apr 2008
Accusations fly as Kenya political deadlock deepens
02 Apr 2008
April 13 (Reuters) - Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki named a coalition cabinet on Sunday making his chief rival Raila Odinga prime minister, the crux of a deal to end a bloody post-election crisis that killed more than 1,200 people.
Here are answers to some questions about what happens next:
HOW FAR HAVE THE TWO SIDES COME?
The National Accord and Reconciliation Act 2008, brokered by former U.N. chief Kofi Annan in February, establishes power-sharing based on a political party's relative strength in parliament by apportioning cabinet posts.
After six weeks of haggling and one false start, Kibaki named a 41-member cabinet creating the post of prime minister and split the remainder between his Party of National Unity coalition and Odinga's Orange Democratic Movement.
Odinga becomes only the second prime minister in Kenyan history. Jomo Kenyatta was prime minister for barely a year after independence in 1963, until his title was changed to president.
During the lengthy negotiations, the two sides had haggled over what they considered the most influential ministries. Ultimately, Odinga and Kibaki split the difference.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT?
Still unresolved -- and sure to be debated by both sides -- is the extent of Kibaki's executive authority under the Act, Odinga's powers, and the naming of civil service posts.
But once that is finished, the two sides must work together on revamping the constitution. The crisis laid bare issues of land, power and wealth that have divided Kenya's 42 ethnic groups almost since it was drafted on the eve of independence.
Since the early 1990s, Kenyans have clamoured for a new charter to help trim the president's vast powers, to introduce checks and balances and eliminate loopholes put in place by Kenyatta and his successor, Daniel arap Moi.
In 2005, Odinga and his allies at the time, including new Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka, defeated a Kibaki-backed draft in a contentious referendum. So most Kenyans expect the road ahead to be rocky.
HOW WILL THE ECONOMY FARE?
The shilling currency has been the strongest barometer of confidence, and has risen after every positive political move. It is near pre-election levels now, and most dealers expect it to stay there barring any major political disagreement.The political harm to the economy has been compounded by inflation which hit 21 percent in March. But the stock market may be somewhat insulated because of overwhelming regional and foreign interest in the recent IPO by mobile firm Safaricom [SCOM.NR], the region's biggest share offering.
CAN THE COALITION HOLD TOGETHER?
If history is any measure, that is questionable.Odinga and Kibaki teamed up to win the 2002 election, but rarely agreed after the president took power. Odinga said Kibaki reneged on a promise to make him prime minister after that election. Kibaki fired Odinga from the cabinet in 2005, after the constitutional referendum.The deal brokered in February says the coalition can be broken three ways: if parliament is dissolved, if the parties agree to it in writing, or if one party withdraws.That gives both sides the power to ruin things, but diplomats say pressure from Kenyans and the international community should prevent that. The president would retain the power to call elections should that happen. Were the coalition to fail, most Kenyans fear violence would erupt again.
(Writing by Bryson Hull; Editing by Daniel Wallis)
© Reuters 2008 All rights reserved
Sun Apr 13, 2008 12:08pm EDT
Related News
Kibaki will unveil new Kenyan cabinet
13 Apr 2008
Kibaki plans to unveil new Kenya cabinet
13 Apr 2008
Haiti’s government falls after food riots
12 Apr 2008
Kenyan leaders break deadlock on cabinet: sources
12 Apr 2008
Accusations fly as Kenya political deadlock deepens
02 Apr 2008
April 13 (Reuters) - Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki named a coalition cabinet on Sunday making his chief rival Raila Odinga prime minister, the crux of a deal to end a bloody post-election crisis that killed more than 1,200 people.
Here are answers to some questions about what happens next:
HOW FAR HAVE THE TWO SIDES COME?
The National Accord and Reconciliation Act 2008, brokered by former U.N. chief Kofi Annan in February, establishes power-sharing based on a political party's relative strength in parliament by apportioning cabinet posts.
After six weeks of haggling and one false start, Kibaki named a 41-member cabinet creating the post of prime minister and split the remainder between his Party of National Unity coalition and Odinga's Orange Democratic Movement.
Odinga becomes only the second prime minister in Kenyan history. Jomo Kenyatta was prime minister for barely a year after independence in 1963, until his title was changed to president.
During the lengthy negotiations, the two sides had haggled over what they considered the most influential ministries. Ultimately, Odinga and Kibaki split the difference.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT?
Still unresolved -- and sure to be debated by both sides -- is the extent of Kibaki's executive authority under the Act, Odinga's powers, and the naming of civil service posts.
But once that is finished, the two sides must work together on revamping the constitution. The crisis laid bare issues of land, power and wealth that have divided Kenya's 42 ethnic groups almost since it was drafted on the eve of independence.
Since the early 1990s, Kenyans have clamoured for a new charter to help trim the president's vast powers, to introduce checks and balances and eliminate loopholes put in place by Kenyatta and his successor, Daniel arap Moi.
In 2005, Odinga and his allies at the time, including new Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka, defeated a Kibaki-backed draft in a contentious referendum. So most Kenyans expect the road ahead to be rocky.
HOW WILL THE ECONOMY FARE?
The shilling currency has been the strongest barometer of confidence, and has risen after every positive political move. It is near pre-election levels now, and most dealers expect it to stay there barring any major political disagreement.The political harm to the economy has been compounded by inflation which hit 21 percent in March. But the stock market may be somewhat insulated because of overwhelming regional and foreign interest in the recent IPO by mobile firm Safaricom [SCOM.NR], the region's biggest share offering.
CAN THE COALITION HOLD TOGETHER?
If history is any measure, that is questionable.Odinga and Kibaki teamed up to win the 2002 election, but rarely agreed after the president took power. Odinga said Kibaki reneged on a promise to make him prime minister after that election. Kibaki fired Odinga from the cabinet in 2005, after the constitutional referendum.The deal brokered in February says the coalition can be broken three ways: if parliament is dissolved, if the parties agree to it in writing, or if one party withdraws.That gives both sides the power to ruin things, but diplomats say pressure from Kenyans and the international community should prevent that. The president would retain the power to call elections should that happen. Were the coalition to fail, most Kenyans fear violence would erupt again.
(Writing by Bryson Hull; Editing by Daniel Wallis)
© Reuters 2008 All rights reserved
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
