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
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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
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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
Friday, April 11, 2008
Today's headlines - Fri 4/11/2008
Related News
Ranneberger calls for a hasty solution to impasse
Kenya Broadcasting Corporation - 2 hours ago
Differences over formation of Grand Coalition Cabinet not ...
Kenya Broadcasting Corporation - 4 hours ago
Kenya: No Clear Winner in Poll, Says EU Report
AllAfrica.com - 5 hours ago
Full coverage »
Kenyan leaders urged to end stalemate as tension mounts - AFP
15 hours ago
NAIROBI (AFP) — Pressure mounted Thursday on Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki and prime minister-designate Raila Odinga to resume coalition talks amid warnings that a delay was fomenting violence.
The pair met last on Sunday and failed to agree on a unity government, a key step in implementing a power-sharing deal following disputed December polls which sparked clashes across the country, killing at least 1,500 people and displacing hundreds of thousands.
Odinga's Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), which suspended talks until Kibaki's Party of National Unity (PNU) agrees to 50-50 sharing of the key portfolios and dissolution of the current cabinet, suggested the creation of an inter-party panel to resolve the issues.
"We have still not received a reply to our letter to the president proposing how to take the process forward. The essential step in the proposal is that a small PNU-ODM group to be established which lays out the essential areas on which there is divergence," ODM spokesman Salim Lone said in a statement.
But Kibaki renewed his call to Odinga to resume dialogue and expressed confidence the stalemate could be resolved, his office said.
Kibaki said the "differences over formation of a grand coalition cabinet were not insurmountable and expressed confidence that the country would overcome all the prevailing challenges," the presidential press service's statement added.
For his part, Odinga told reporters talks could only resume after Kibaki agreed to sharing key cabinet posts as well as top civil service posts, a position the government has rejected.
Kenyan newspapers urged the leaders to end the stalemate that has touched off fresh protests in the capital's slums and western city of Kisumu in the past two days.
"There are legitimate fears that if the impasse is not speedily resolved, Kenya will slide back to the kind of violence unleashed in the wake of the disputed presidential elections," top selling Daily Nation said an editorial.
The EU Election Observation Mission (EU EOM), which in January said the polls were deeply flawed, on Thursday issued a final report and recommended amendments to the country's electoral laws.
The Kenyan crisis erupted after Odinga accused Kibaki of stealing presidential votes in a widely-criticised election.
In addition to the deaths, the violence also choked the east African nation's mainstay tourism and agricultural sectors.
Kenya issued a cholera outbreak alert after the disease killed 60 people in recent weeks, compounding a health nightmare facing hundreds of thousands still living in displacement camps.
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5jWBJMmg5U6rJyq0lxfprSYYz1FeQ
Ranneberger calls for a hasty solution to impasse
Kenya Broadcasting Corporation - 2 hours ago
Differences over formation of Grand Coalition Cabinet not ...
Kenya Broadcasting Corporation - 4 hours ago
Kenya: No Clear Winner in Poll, Says EU Report
AllAfrica.com - 5 hours ago
Full coverage »
Kenyan leaders urged to end stalemate as tension mounts - AFP
15 hours ago
NAIROBI (AFP) — Pressure mounted Thursday on Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki and prime minister-designate Raila Odinga to resume coalition talks amid warnings that a delay was fomenting violence.
The pair met last on Sunday and failed to agree on a unity government, a key step in implementing a power-sharing deal following disputed December polls which sparked clashes across the country, killing at least 1,500 people and displacing hundreds of thousands.
Odinga's Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), which suspended talks until Kibaki's Party of National Unity (PNU) agrees to 50-50 sharing of the key portfolios and dissolution of the current cabinet, suggested the creation of an inter-party panel to resolve the issues.
"We have still not received a reply to our letter to the president proposing how to take the process forward. The essential step in the proposal is that a small PNU-ODM group to be established which lays out the essential areas on which there is divergence," ODM spokesman Salim Lone said in a statement.
But Kibaki renewed his call to Odinga to resume dialogue and expressed confidence the stalemate could be resolved, his office said.
Kibaki said the "differences over formation of a grand coalition cabinet were not insurmountable and expressed confidence that the country would overcome all the prevailing challenges," the presidential press service's statement added.
For his part, Odinga told reporters talks could only resume after Kibaki agreed to sharing key cabinet posts as well as top civil service posts, a position the government has rejected.
Kenyan newspapers urged the leaders to end the stalemate that has touched off fresh protests in the capital's slums and western city of Kisumu in the past two days.
"There are legitimate fears that if the impasse is not speedily resolved, Kenya will slide back to the kind of violence unleashed in the wake of the disputed presidential elections," top selling Daily Nation said an editorial.
The EU Election Observation Mission (EU EOM), which in January said the polls were deeply flawed, on Thursday issued a final report and recommended amendments to the country's electoral laws.
The Kenyan crisis erupted after Odinga accused Kibaki of stealing presidential votes in a widely-criticised election.
In addition to the deaths, the violence also choked the east African nation's mainstay tourism and agricultural sectors.
Kenya issued a cholera outbreak alert after the disease killed 60 people in recent weeks, compounding a health nightmare facing hundreds of thousands still living in displacement camps.
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5jWBJMmg5U6rJyq0lxfprSYYz1FeQ
Kibaki, Raila Still Miles Apart - EA Standard
The East African Standard (Nairobi)
NEWS11 April 2008
Posted to the web 11 April 2008 Nairobi
President Kibaki and Prime Minister-designate Raila Odinga, appeared to drift further apart even as African envoys engaged in shuttle diplomacy to bring the two to talking terms.
And a new bone of contention emerged on Thursday over six key ministries, which ODM says are all headed by ministers from the Mt Kenya region. The chasm between Kibaki and Raila widened when the President insisted that he would not respond to a terse letter ODM wrote to him on April 7, asking for "real" portfolio balance.
The letter also suggested that the President appoints a four-member team from both parties to spearhead the balancing act.
ODM pulled out of the negotiations, insisting that they would not engage further if the President did not reply to the letter.
However, the Government read political mischief in the manner in which ODM resorted to using letters to communicate with President Kibaki.
In an equally terse reply, Government Spokesman, Dr Alfred Mutua, the Government said the President was ready to have a one-on-one meeting with Raila to conclude the matter.
"He (Kibaki) has no desire whatsoever to exchange letters. All he wants is to sit with Raila and reach an amicable solution to the impasse," said Mutua.
But unaware of the new development from Harambee House, Raila said he was still waiting for a reply from President Kibaki's Party of National Unity (PNU) to respond to queries on portfolio balance and sharing of political appointments before he would meet the President again.
Kibaki appeared to dig in when he insisted that he would not dissolve the half Cabinet as demanded by the ODM.
The President also declined to accept ODM's proposal to form a four-member committee to discuss the size of the coalition Cabinet.
Raila said the four-member committee was the best solution to resolve the contentious issues standing in the way of a grand coalition.
Besides the size of the Cabinet, the six key ministries in the half Cabinet also appeared to stand in the way of more negotiations, with ODM insisting that there would be no deal until the ministers and PS - all from the Mt Kenya region -- relinquished the posts for redistribution.
The contested ministries are Finance, Energy, Local Government, Internal Security, Justice and Constitutional Affairs, and Roads and Public Works held by Mr Amos Kimunya, Mr Kiraitu Murungi, Mr Uhuru Kenyatta, Prof George Saitoti, Ms Martha Karua and Mr John Michuki in that order.
Ministers, PSs from one region
Besides the ministers, ODM claimed the ministries' Permanent Secretaries were from the same region. The PSs are Mr Joseph Kinyua (Finance), Mr Patrick Nyoike (Energy), Mr Cyrus Gituai (Internal Security), Mr Michael Kamau (Roads), Ms Dorothy Angote (Justice) and Mr Solomon Boit (Local Government).
But Angote and Boit are not from the region.
ODM also cited the post of the Head of Public Service, saying Mr Francis Muthaura also comes from the Mt Kenya region.
ODM Secretary-General, Prof Anyang Nyong'o, said the new Cabinet must reflect the diversity of parties and communities.
"If you analyse the contentious ministries of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Local Government, Internal Security and Provincial Administration, Finance, Energy and Roads and Public Works, all are in the hands of MPs from Mt Kenya," Nyong'o said.
Later in the day, President Kibaki returned to his Harambee House office where he remained holed up for several hours meeting, among others, Muthaura and Michuki. There was no communication from him.
On his part, Raila met US Ambassador, Mr Michael Ranneberger, and 21 other ambassadors from the African countries. After the meetings, Raila said ODM had proposed to PNU the formation of the four-member team to discuss how contested ministries should be shared out.
ODM now wants a structured approach in sharing the contested dockets, which they insist must be clustered and shared on an equal basis.
The ODM leader said unless power-sharing was extended to include permanent secretaries, diplomats and chief executives of parastatals, there would be no deal.
At the same time, Raila ruled out a fresh election, saying it could not be held now without changing electoral laws and appointing a new Electoral Commission of Kenya.
The statement came against a background of international pressure that power-sharing must be real.
Canada joined other countries in putting pressure and called on President Kibaki and Raila to exercise good faith in forming the Cabinet.
On Wednesday, the British Foreign Secretary, Mr David Miliband, asked for concessions on powerful ministries.
"There is a small gap that puts a wedge between us. It is about portfolio balance and sharing key Government structures," Raila said. "We do not want to go into a coalition and start grumbling from within. We want issues resolved and before we start serving Kenyans."
At a press conference at Pentagon House, Nyong'o said: "When we talk about portfolio balance, let it reflect the face of Kenya and address ethnic biases without fear or favour."
Tension and violence
Raila, however, remained optimistic that the talks between him and Kibaki could still be salvaged. He said they had been suspended, not stalled.
As Kibaki and Raila continued dithering, the country remained at tenterhooks with reports of fresh destruction reported in Nairobi and Likia in Njoro.
Mobs in Nairobi's Kibera slums continued uprooting the Nairobi-Kisumu railway line, while houses were torched in Likia.
The National Council Churches of Kenya (NCCK) joined in urging Kibaki and Raila to agree to fresh elections within six months rather than hold Kenyans at ransom if they could not agree to share power.
The suspense is threatening to burst into violence and destruction, said the NCCK.
"The media war between PNU and ODM is heightening emotions and is merely a cheap method of holding Kenyans at ransom with the threat of repeat violence," said Secretary-General, Canon Peter Karanja, in Mombasa.
The European Union handed to all political parties the final report of its verdict on the last General election, telling them that it remained unclear who won the presidential vote.
"The presidential elections leave a legacy of uncertainty as to who was actually elected President by the Kenyan people," said the EU report.
Head of Mission, Mr Eric Van Der Linden, handed a copy of the report to PNU, ODM, ODM-Kenya, ECK and the Kriegler Commission that is investigating the disputed presidential elections.
The effect of the stalemate between President Kibaki and Raila was the suspension of the mediation talks co-chaired by Nigerian diplomat, Mr Oluyemi Adeniji.
Two members of the PNU negotiating team told The Standard that the delay and political standoff over the Cabinet had derailed the mediation talks.
"We will only proceed with the Serena talks after a coalition government is in place," said Mbooni MP, Mr Mutula Kilonzo.
Mutula said the impasse had affected quorum as negotiators were attending meetings to unlock the deadlock.
Mutula also added another dimension to the stalemate - it was linked to the Kibaki succession in 2012.
Reports by David Ohito, Abiya Ocholla, Mutinda Mwanzia, Maureen Mudi, Beauttah Omanga, Brian Odera, Cyrus Ombati and Steve Mkawale
Copyright © 2008 The East African Standard. All rights reserved.
Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com).
http://allafrica.com/stories/200804110004.html
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Today's Headlines - Thurs 4/10/2008
LEADING STORY - Daily Nation
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From Google News - Kenya
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Kenyan leaders under pressure to resume talks
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Nairobi, April 10 (Xinhua) Kenyan leaders are under intense pressure from the international community to resume talks on forming a coalition government in a ...
Kenya violence flare up, no cause for major concern, yet TravelVideo.tv (press release)
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Kenya: Government Adopts Male Cut As Strategy in Fight Against HIV
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Kenya: Refugees in Uganda to Move
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More than 1900 Kenyan refugees who fled post-election violence and are camping near the border will be moved further inland. UNHCR Uganda external affairs ...
Kenya: Fida - Train Women On the Court Procedure
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The Federation of Women Lawyers (Fida-Kenya) say Kenya has about 5000 advocates for a population of 32 million, translating to one lawyer for 6500 citizens. ...
Kenya: Witness Recalls How Police Officer Shot Protesters
AllAfrica.com, Washington - 5 hours ago
A witness Wednesday told a court how a policeman shot and killed two protesters in Kisumu Town during the post-election violence. ...
Kenya: Civic Leader Sounds the Alarm On Forest
AllAfrica.com, Washington - 5 hours ago
A councillor has raised the red flag over the destruction of Sagalla forest in Voi constituency, Taita district. Vast sections of the forest had been ...
Kenya: Mungiki Gangs Return to Extort
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So organised are the gangs that they are even issuing receipts to public transport operators, whom they force to pay illegal fees of Sh500, sources said on ...
DJ Kenya-Uganda Rail Link Vandalized, Goods Transit Disrupted
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From UN's IRIN News Service - recent stories (4/1-10/2008):
KENYA: Talks deadlock could slow IDP returns - officials
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08 April 2008 (IRIN), The suspension of talks between Kenya's key political parties, announced on 8 April, could slow or halt progress made in returning thousands of internally displaced persons (IDPs) to their homes, humanitarian officials said.
AFRICA: Soaring food and fuel prices may hurt growth
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07 April 2008 (IRIN), Tayech Ali arrived half an hour before the grain distribution centre in Gojam Berenda, in the capital, Addis Ababa, opened, but still had to queue for three hours before she could buy some wheat.
CENTRAL AND EASTERN AFRICA: IRIN-CEA Weekly Round-up 425 for 29 March - 4 April 2008
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04 April 2008 (IRIN), IRIN-CEA Weekly Round-up 425 for 29 March - 4 April 2008
GLOBAL: IRIN/PlusNews Weekly Issue 381, 4 April 2008
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04 April 2008 (PlusNews), IRIN/PlusNews Weekly Issue 381, 4 April 2008
GLOBAL: Gates Foundation moves to fight killer wheat disease
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03 April 2008 (IRIN), The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has given US$26.8 million to Cornell University in the USA for a new global project to fight wheat (stem) rust disease, which specialists say poses a threat to world food security.
KENYA: Cholera kills 40 in western region
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03 April 2008 (IRIN), At least 42 people have died in western Kenya following an outbreak of Cholera, health officials said.
GLOBAL: More mothers and children on ARVs
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03 April 2008 (PlusNews), More mothers and children in developing countries are receiving treatment than ever before, according to a new report by the United Nations. But stigma, limited information and fragile health systems still pose hurdles to achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
KENYA: Floods hit thousands, including IDP camps
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02 April 2008 (IRIN), At least 6,000 people have been affected by flooding following heavy rains in the southern coastal district of Taveta, the Kenya Red Cross Society said.
KENYA: Displacement raises risk of drug-resistant TB
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02 April 2008 (PlusNews), The threat of multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) in Kenya has been heightened by the displacement of an estimated 300,000 people in the country's recent political crisis, health workers have said.
KENYA: Joseph Lotaba - "I don't understand why my home was burnt"
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01 April 2008 (IRIN), Father-of-five Joseph Lotaba woke up on 6 March morning to fire and panic as a neighbouring village in Rift Valley's Laikipia West district went up in flames. Soon, it was his village's turn to face the wrath of hundreds of attackers who were hacking people with machetes and burning homes and granaries. This was a day after violence erupted in Rumuruti - pitting the Turkana and Tugen communities against the Kikuyu - following the killing of a suspected rustler.
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
More Headlines - Wed 4/9/2008
* NEW *
Kenya opposition urges restraint - BBC
4/9/2008
Kenya's main opposition leader, Raila Odinga, has appealed to his supporters to exercise restraint after violence broke out in the capital, Nairobi.
Mr Odinga suspended talks on forming a power-sharing government on Tuesday.
"It is better to take slightly longer and get it right then to rush it and make mistakes which will lead to regrets," he told the BBC.
Mr Odinga says he wants a 50-50 split in cabinet posts as promised by an accord to end post-poll violence.
Some 1,500 people died and 600,000 were displaced in January and February.
Meanwhile, the African Union has expressed concern about the political impasse.
KENYA PARLIAMENT
ODM MPs: 102
PNU MPs: 46
Pro-ODM MPs: 5
Pro-PNU MPs: 61
Vacant seats: 6
"The delays in appointing a coalition government will inevitably delay a return to normalcy in Kenya, and is also of concern to the rest of the region," AU chairman Alpha Omar Konare said in a statement.
Mr Odinga, who under the agreement will become prime minister, also accuses President Mwai Kibaki of insisting that full executive power would remain exclusively with Kenya's presidency.
The president expressed surprise at the accusations, as he said the two men had been close to completing their discussions.
Mr Odinga says his Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) will return to talks with the government after it has agreed to its demands on a coalition government.
"I know people are getting impatient, but to negotiate matters of this nature takes time," he told the BBC's Focus on Africa.
He said the ministries are split into five "clusters" and they want them to be divided 50/50.
So far, ODM had not been allocated any position in the "co-ordination ministries" (foreign affairs, finance, local government and public service) or "security ministries" (defence, internal security, home affairs and immigration).
He also called for the ODM to be able to appoint some politically appointed permanent secretaries and diplomats.
Story from BBC NEWS:http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/africa/7339225.stm
Published: 2008/04/09 16:24:00 GMT© BBC MMVIII
What is the solution to Kenya’s political gridlock?
Reuters UK, UK - 1 hour ago
Implementation of Kenya’s peace accord brokered by former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan in February to end post-election bloodshed has hit a logjam over ...
VP meets diplomats
Kenya Broadcasting Corporation, Kenya - 2 hours ago
Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka on Wednesday held talks with Ambassadors and High Commissioners accredited to Kenya from Europe and North America at his ...
US ambassador says relations with Kenya at stake in power-sharing deal
PR-Inside.com (Pressemitteilung), Austria - 2 hours ago© AP
By ELIZABETH A. KENNEDY - AP Writer © AP
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) - Kenya's relationship with the United States depends on the implementation of the East ...
Full story:
World News
US ambassador says relations with Kenya at stake in power-sharing deal
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Refer to a friend © AP
US ambassador says relations with Kenya at stake in power-sharing dealBy ELIZABETH A. KENNEDY - Associated Press Writer© AP
2008-04-09 16:07:44 -
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) - Kenya's relationship with the United States depends on the implementation of the East African country's stalled power-sharing accord, the U.S. ambassador to Kenya said Wednesday.Michael Ranneberger spoke one day after the opposition suspended talks with the government and parts of Kenya erupted in violence reminiscent of scenes that rocked the
country for weeks after the disputed Dec. 27 presidential election.«The whole U.S. relationship with Kenya depends on the implementation of this accord,» Ranneberger told reporters at his residence in the capital, Nairobi. «If the political accord is not implemented, it will make it difficult, if not impossible, for us to work in Kenya.Still, Ranneberger, who met with both men Tuesday, said a deal could happen within a week.«There is no crisis,» he said. «This is a time for the Kenyan people to remain calm.Government spokesman Alfred Mutua declined to comment on Ranneberger's statements. Calls to the opposition leader were not immediately returned Wednesday.The U.S. and other allies consider Kenya a vital partner in the war on terrorism and a regional economic and military powerhouse whose stability has stood in stark contrast to war-ravaged neighbors like Sudan and Somalia, where Islamic extremism is rife.Ranneberger also said some US$2 billion (¤1.27 billion) flows from the United States to Kenya every year, including aid, investments, tourism and remittances.President Mwai Kibaki and opposition leader Raila Odinga both claim to have won the presidency and are trying to form a joint government to resolve the crisis. More than 1,000 people were killed in weeks of clashes that followed the vote, and 300,000 were displaced.Kibaki and Odinga agreed in February to share power, but they have not worked out exactly how. The agreement called for Cabinet posts to be split equally, but both sides have been trying to secure the most powerful ministries, such as internal security and foreign affairs.Ranneberger said some of the delay is due to the politicians surrounding Kibaki and Odinga who want to serve in vital posts.«It's a little bit like kindergarten,» he said. «Everyone's saying, 'Me! Me! MeForeign pressure _ which was increasing in the days leading up to the signing of February's accord _ appeared to be growing again.British Foreign Secretary David Miliband said Wednesday that «all sides must be prepared to make concessions to allow this to happen, including President Kibaki's supporters ceding some powerful portfolios.U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice also said the U.S. will hold responsible anyone who stands in the way of true power-sharing.On Tuesday, Odinga's Orange Democratic Movement said it had suspended negotiations and would only resume after Kibaki dissolved the current Cabinet.Kibaki and Odinga must try to repair the lives of hundreds of thousands of Kenyans who remain displaced from their homes after violence that tarnished the country's reputation.There is also the matter of restoring one of Africa's most promising economies. Kenya, one of the most prosperous and tourist-friendly countries in Africa, has seen up to US$1 billion (¤640 million) in losses linked to the turmoil.Much of the bloodshed pitted ethnic groups, such as Odinga's Luo tribe, against Kibaki's Kikuyu people, long resented for their domination of the economy and politics. In many regions, the violence brought a bloody end to decades of coexistence among Kenya's ethnic groups, transforming cities and towns where Kenyans had lived together _ however uneasily at times _ since independence from Britain in 1963.
US envoy sees Kibaki-Raila agreeing
Daily Nation, Kenya - 3 hours ago
By KEVIN J. KELLEY in New York
The United States is confident that an agreement will soon be reached on a power-sharing Cabinet and thus sees no need to ...
Full story:
US envoy sees Kibaki-Raila agreeing
By KEVIN J. KELLEY in New YorkLast updated: 4 hours ago
The United States is confident that an agreement will soon be reached on a power-sharing Cabinet and thus sees no need to punish Kenya, US ambassador Michael Ranneberger said on today.
Noting that he met on Tuesday with both President Kibaki and Orange Democratic Movement leader Raila Odinga, the American envoy said he "came away optimistic about their commitment" to forming a grand coalition government.
"I do not think there is any need to impose sanctions," Mr Ranneberger added.
In response to a question from a Nation reporter, the ambassador said he views a 40-member cabinet as "too large." Mr Ranneberger added in an Internet chat that "sometimes compromises must be made between what is best and what is politically needed."
Asked whether an enlarged Cabinet poses greater opportunities for corruption, the US ambassador said "there are a lot of means to hold the new Cabinet members accountable. We will continue to make efforts to fight corruption a priority. The Kenya media will also help expose abuses."
Urging patience, Mr Ranneberger noted that "in some European countries it has taken months to work out coalition governments."
The ambassador did allude to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice’s threat on Tuesday to "act accordingly" if Mr Kibaki and Mr Odinga fail to conclude an agreement.
But Mr Ranneberger’s tone was consistently upbeat. He downplayed fears of renewed chaos, saying that violence on Tuesday was not widespread. He also reiterated US pledges to provide additional support once a power-sharing government is formed.
Mr Ranneberger further expressed optimism that such a government can function effectively.
Pressure mounts on leaders to resume talks
Kenya Broadcasting Corporation, Kenya - 3 hours ago
Pressure is mounting on President Mwai Kibaki and Prime Minister Designate Raila Odinga to resume talks and name the grand coaltion cabinet. ...
Pressure mounts on leaders to resume talksWritten By:Andrew Kilungu , Posted: Wed, Apr 09, 2008
Pressure is mounting on President Mwai Kibaki and Prime Minister Designate Raila Odinga to resume talks and name the grand coaltion cabinet.
Nobel Peace Laureate Prof. Wangari Maathai says the signing of the National Reconciliation Accord saw the post election violence subside and expressed fear that it would escalate with the collapse of the talks.
She was speaking at her office where she released a press statement about the state of the IDPs.
Maathai said that it was extremely important for the government to provide security for the IDPs to return to their farms because there are many cases of sexual exploitation in the camps as well as deplorable living conditions that could lead to disease outbreaks.
Maathai also asked the government to assist displaced farmers with seeds and fertilizers so that they can return to their farms and plant during this rain season.
Meanwhile US Ambassador to Kenya Michael Rannerberger says he is confident that President Kibaki and Odinga will resolve the cabinet stalement.
The envoy says he met the two principles separately Tuesday and they showed their commitment to working together and moving the country forward.
Addressing the press at his residence the envoy therefore called on Kenyans to remain calm saying the issue was complicated with a lot of political interest.
He at the same time urged leaders to stop making public statements that might complicate the matter further.
He clearly said that US is just talking to the two principals, but urged Kenyans to put pressure on the two leaders by sending them peaceful comments.
At the same time Rannerberger says the sharing of positions in the public service commission is not an issue at the moment as it could be resolved once the new government is reconstituted.
US says it is committed to working with Kenya but warned that if the accord does not work the relationship between the two nations might change.
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UN Dispatch - 18 hours ago
Riots erupted in Kenya on Tuesday as opposition leaders announced that they were suspending talks with the government over a stalled power sharing agreement ...
Kenya: A Sad Day As ODM Pulls Out of Talks
AllAfrica.com, Washington - 18 hours ago
It was a day of drawn swords after ODM announced it had pulled out of Cabinet talks, and PNU declared it was ready for elections if negotiations fail. ...
Kenya: Annan Plea to Leaders
AllAfrica.com, Washington - 18 hours ago
FORMER United Nations Secretary General, Dr Kofi Annan, has once again pleaded with President Kibaki and Prime Minister-designate Raila Odinga, ...
Kenya: Serena Talks 'May Collapse'
AllAfrica.com, Washington - 18 hours ago
Mediation talks hang in the balance due to the Cabinet deadlock between PNU and ODM. Sources said there was growing discomfort among international mediators ...
Kenya opposition urges restraint - BBC
4/9/2008
Kenya's main opposition leader, Raila Odinga, has appealed to his supporters to exercise restraint after violence broke out in the capital, Nairobi.
Mr Odinga suspended talks on forming a power-sharing government on Tuesday.
"It is better to take slightly longer and get it right then to rush it and make mistakes which will lead to regrets," he told the BBC.
Mr Odinga says he wants a 50-50 split in cabinet posts as promised by an accord to end post-poll violence.
Some 1,500 people died and 600,000 were displaced in January and February.
Meanwhile, the African Union has expressed concern about the political impasse.
KENYA PARLIAMENT
ODM MPs: 102
PNU MPs: 46
Pro-ODM MPs: 5
Pro-PNU MPs: 61
Vacant seats: 6
"The delays in appointing a coalition government will inevitably delay a return to normalcy in Kenya, and is also of concern to the rest of the region," AU chairman Alpha Omar Konare said in a statement.
Mr Odinga, who under the agreement will become prime minister, also accuses President Mwai Kibaki of insisting that full executive power would remain exclusively with Kenya's presidency.
The president expressed surprise at the accusations, as he said the two men had been close to completing their discussions.
Mr Odinga says his Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) will return to talks with the government after it has agreed to its demands on a coalition government.
"I know people are getting impatient, but to negotiate matters of this nature takes time," he told the BBC's Focus on Africa.
He said the ministries are split into five "clusters" and they want them to be divided 50/50.
So far, ODM had not been allocated any position in the "co-ordination ministries" (foreign affairs, finance, local government and public service) or "security ministries" (defence, internal security, home affairs and immigration).
He also called for the ODM to be able to appoint some politically appointed permanent secretaries and diplomats.
Story from BBC NEWS:http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/africa/7339225.stm
Published: 2008/04/09 16:24:00 GMT© BBC MMVIII
What is the solution to Kenya’s political gridlock?
Reuters UK, UK - 1 hour ago
Implementation of Kenya’s peace accord brokered by former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan in February to end post-election bloodshed has hit a logjam over ...
VP meets diplomats
Kenya Broadcasting Corporation, Kenya - 2 hours ago
Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka on Wednesday held talks with Ambassadors and High Commissioners accredited to Kenya from Europe and North America at his ...
Full story:
VP meets diplomatsWritten By:Rose Kamau , Posted: Wed, Apr 09, 2008
Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka on Wednesday held talks with Ambassadors and High Commissioners accredited to Kenya from Europe and North America at his Jogoo House office.
Mr. Musyoka briefed the envoys on the progress of the negotiations and consultations towards the formation of a grand coalition government.
He assured them of President Mwai Kibaki's commitment in forming the coalition government as soon as the consultations with the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader, Raila Odinga, are completed.
The Vice President who was accompanied by Ministers George Saitoti and Uhuru Kenyatta, and the Mbooni MP Mutula Kilonzo told the diplomats that it was imperative that the ODM leader contacts the President urgently, for the two to conclude the consultations and announce a cabinet that is acceptable to all Kenyans.
The diplomats raised concerns over the delay in naming the cabinet, saying it was hindering the efforts to address other pressing challenges facing the country such as the resettlement of Internally Displaced Persons and the reconstruction of the country.
Later, the Vice President held talks with African Ambassadors and High Comissioners.
The Vice President said Kenya appreciates the role played by the African Union in the drafting the agreement that gave rise to the National Accord.
Mr. Musyoka said all that was remaining was for the ODM leader to join President Mwai Kibaki and give Kenyans the cabinet they deserve, saying that the announcement of cabinet is not an end in itself but will pave way for resettlement of the IDPs among other issues.
He said there is need to separate the issue of the formation of cabinet and IDPs adding that both sides should work together to create an enabling environment for resettlement of the displaced persons.
The Vice President also urged Kenyans to remain patient and shun violence.
The Mozambican High Commissioner to Kenya Marcos G Namashulua, who led the diplomats appealed to the government and ODM to embrace the spirit of give and take so as to reach an amicable solution to the on-going crisis.
US ambassador says relations with Kenya at stake in power-sharing deal
PR-Inside.com (Pressemitteilung), Austria - 2 hours ago© AP
By ELIZABETH A. KENNEDY - AP Writer © AP
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) - Kenya's relationship with the United States depends on the implementation of the East ...
Full story:
World News
US ambassador says relations with Kenya at stake in power-sharing deal
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Refer to a friend © AP
US ambassador says relations with Kenya at stake in power-sharing dealBy ELIZABETH A. KENNEDY - Associated Press Writer© AP
2008-04-09 16:07:44 -
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) - Kenya's relationship with the United States depends on the implementation of the East African country's stalled power-sharing accord, the U.S. ambassador to Kenya said Wednesday.Michael Ranneberger spoke one day after the opposition suspended talks with the government and parts of Kenya erupted in violence reminiscent of scenes that rocked the
country for weeks after the disputed Dec. 27 presidential election.«The whole U.S. relationship with Kenya depends on the implementation of this accord,» Ranneberger told reporters at his residence in the capital, Nairobi. «If the political accord is not implemented, it will make it difficult, if not impossible, for us to work in Kenya.Still, Ranneberger, who met with both men Tuesday, said a deal could happen within a week.«There is no crisis,» he said. «This is a time for the Kenyan people to remain calm.Government spokesman Alfred Mutua declined to comment on Ranneberger's statements. Calls to the opposition leader were not immediately returned Wednesday.The U.S. and other allies consider Kenya a vital partner in the war on terrorism and a regional economic and military powerhouse whose stability has stood in stark contrast to war-ravaged neighbors like Sudan and Somalia, where Islamic extremism is rife.Ranneberger also said some US$2 billion (¤1.27 billion) flows from the United States to Kenya every year, including aid, investments, tourism and remittances.President Mwai Kibaki and opposition leader Raila Odinga both claim to have won the presidency and are trying to form a joint government to resolve the crisis. More than 1,000 people were killed in weeks of clashes that followed the vote, and 300,000 were displaced.Kibaki and Odinga agreed in February to share power, but they have not worked out exactly how. The agreement called for Cabinet posts to be split equally, but both sides have been trying to secure the most powerful ministries, such as internal security and foreign affairs.Ranneberger said some of the delay is due to the politicians surrounding Kibaki and Odinga who want to serve in vital posts.«It's a little bit like kindergarten,» he said. «Everyone's saying, 'Me! Me! MeForeign pressure _ which was increasing in the days leading up to the signing of February's accord _ appeared to be growing again.British Foreign Secretary David Miliband said Wednesday that «all sides must be prepared to make concessions to allow this to happen, including President Kibaki's supporters ceding some powerful portfolios.U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice also said the U.S. will hold responsible anyone who stands in the way of true power-sharing.On Tuesday, Odinga's Orange Democratic Movement said it had suspended negotiations and would only resume after Kibaki dissolved the current Cabinet.Kibaki and Odinga must try to repair the lives of hundreds of thousands of Kenyans who remain displaced from their homes after violence that tarnished the country's reputation.There is also the matter of restoring one of Africa's most promising economies. Kenya, one of the most prosperous and tourist-friendly countries in Africa, has seen up to US$1 billion (¤640 million) in losses linked to the turmoil.Much of the bloodshed pitted ethnic groups, such as Odinga's Luo tribe, against Kibaki's Kikuyu people, long resented for their domination of the economy and politics. In many regions, the violence brought a bloody end to decades of coexistence among Kenya's ethnic groups, transforming cities and towns where Kenyans had lived together _ however uneasily at times _ since independence from Britain in 1963.
US envoy sees Kibaki-Raila agreeing
Daily Nation, Kenya - 3 hours ago
By KEVIN J. KELLEY in New York
The United States is confident that an agreement will soon be reached on a power-sharing Cabinet and thus sees no need to ...
Full story:
US envoy sees Kibaki-Raila agreeing
By KEVIN J. KELLEY in New YorkLast updated: 4 hours ago
The United States is confident that an agreement will soon be reached on a power-sharing Cabinet and thus sees no need to punish Kenya, US ambassador Michael Ranneberger said on today.
Noting that he met on Tuesday with both President Kibaki and Orange Democratic Movement leader Raila Odinga, the American envoy said he "came away optimistic about their commitment" to forming a grand coalition government.
"I do not think there is any need to impose sanctions," Mr Ranneberger added.
In response to a question from a Nation reporter, the ambassador said he views a 40-member cabinet as "too large." Mr Ranneberger added in an Internet chat that "sometimes compromises must be made between what is best and what is politically needed."
Asked whether an enlarged Cabinet poses greater opportunities for corruption, the US ambassador said "there are a lot of means to hold the new Cabinet members accountable. We will continue to make efforts to fight corruption a priority. The Kenya media will also help expose abuses."
Urging patience, Mr Ranneberger noted that "in some European countries it has taken months to work out coalition governments."
The ambassador did allude to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice’s threat on Tuesday to "act accordingly" if Mr Kibaki and Mr Odinga fail to conclude an agreement.
But Mr Ranneberger’s tone was consistently upbeat. He downplayed fears of renewed chaos, saying that violence on Tuesday was not widespread. He also reiterated US pledges to provide additional support once a power-sharing government is formed.
Mr Ranneberger further expressed optimism that such a government can function effectively.
Pressure mounts on leaders to resume talks
Kenya Broadcasting Corporation, Kenya - 3 hours ago
Pressure is mounting on President Mwai Kibaki and Prime Minister Designate Raila Odinga to resume talks and name the grand coaltion cabinet. ...
Pressure mounts on leaders to resume talksWritten By:Andrew Kilungu , Posted: Wed, Apr 09, 2008
Pressure is mounting on President Mwai Kibaki and Prime Minister Designate Raila Odinga to resume talks and name the grand coaltion cabinet.
Nobel Peace Laureate Prof. Wangari Maathai says the signing of the National Reconciliation Accord saw the post election violence subside and expressed fear that it would escalate with the collapse of the talks.
She was speaking at her office where she released a press statement about the state of the IDPs.
Maathai said that it was extremely important for the government to provide security for the IDPs to return to their farms because there are many cases of sexual exploitation in the camps as well as deplorable living conditions that could lead to disease outbreaks.
Maathai also asked the government to assist displaced farmers with seeds and fertilizers so that they can return to their farms and plant during this rain season.
Meanwhile US Ambassador to Kenya Michael Rannerberger says he is confident that President Kibaki and Odinga will resolve the cabinet stalement.
The envoy says he met the two principles separately Tuesday and they showed their commitment to working together and moving the country forward.
Addressing the press at his residence the envoy therefore called on Kenyans to remain calm saying the issue was complicated with a lot of political interest.
He at the same time urged leaders to stop making public statements that might complicate the matter further.
He clearly said that US is just talking to the two principals, but urged Kenyans to put pressure on the two leaders by sending them peaceful comments.
At the same time Rannerberger says the sharing of positions in the public service commission is not an issue at the moment as it could be resolved once the new government is reconstituted.
US says it is committed to working with Kenya but warned that if the accord does not work the relationship between the two nations might change.
Kenya Is Back On Edge
HULIQ (press release), NC - 4 hours ago
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USA Today - 4 hours ago
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CNN International - 6 hours ago
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Kenyan leaders under pressure to resume coalition talks
AFP - 6 hours ago
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ODM may resort to mass action
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Rice asks Raila, Kibaki to implement accord
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Kenya: Raila Odinga’s ODM pulls out of cabinet talks
New Sudan Vision, Canada - 12 hours ago
April 8, 2008 (Nairobi NSV) - Hopes on Kenya’s post-election progress were dampened on Tuesday as opposition leader Raila Odinga suspended its participation ...
Rice Tells Kenyan Leaders to Implement Power-Sharing Accord
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Protests in Kenya as talks collapse
Times Online, UK - 12 hours ago
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Violence erupts in Kenya
United Press International - 14 hours ago
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Kenyans Express Disappointment In Country’s Leadership
Voice of America - 15 hours ago
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Kenya opposition halts talks, protests flare
Reuters - 16 hours ago
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Rice says she telephoned contending Kenyan politicians and urged ...
International Herald Tribune, France - 16 hours ago
AP WASHINGTON: US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says she personally urged Kenya's two most powerful politicians to settle their power-sharing dispute ...
Rice calls for speedy power-share agreement in Kenya
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Violence breaks out as Kenyan leaders fail to agree cabinet
Independent, UK - 17 hours ago
By Steve Bloomfield in Nairobi Fresh violence has broken out in parts of Kenya as the country's fragile power-sharing deal appeared to be on the brink of ...
Kenya: Riots Resume
AllAfrica.com, Washington - 17 hours ago
Kenya's opposition party suspended talks with the government Tuesday and hundreds of angry young opposition backers set fires to protest delays in reaching ...
Kenyan Opposition Suspends Unity Talks; Violence Grips Nairobi Slum
AHN - 18 hours ago
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Danger in Kenya
UN Dispatch - 18 hours ago
Riots erupted in Kenya on Tuesday as opposition leaders announced that they were suspending talks with the government over a stalled power sharing agreement ...
Kenya: A Sad Day As ODM Pulls Out of Talks
AllAfrica.com, Washington - 18 hours ago
It was a day of drawn swords after ODM announced it had pulled out of Cabinet talks, and PNU declared it was ready for elections if negotiations fail. ...
Kenya: Annan Plea to Leaders
AllAfrica.com, Washington - 18 hours ago
FORMER United Nations Secretary General, Dr Kofi Annan, has once again pleaded with President Kibaki and Prime Minister-designate Raila Odinga, ...
Kenya: Serena Talks 'May Collapse'
AllAfrica.com, Washington - 18 hours ago
Mediation talks hang in the balance due to the Cabinet deadlock between PNU and ODM. Sources said there was growing discomfort among international mediators ...
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