Friday, February 22, 2008
Africa’s top diplomat pushes Kenya rivals to agree
Africa’s top diplomat pushed Kenya’s feuding parties on Friday to reach a speedy deal after the government agreed in principle to create a prime minister’s post to help end a deadly post-election crisis. “The weekend will be crucial. We hope that next week we’ll have something which can be agreed,” newly-elected African Union chairman Jean Ping told a news conference in Nairobi. The opposition has demanded a powerful role as executive premier for their leader Raila Odinga, who accuses President Mwai Kibaki of rigging the December 27 poll. Kibaki’s team says he won fairly, and accuses the opposition of instigating riots and ethnic violence that killed 1,000 people, displaced 300,000 and wrecked Kenya’s image as a stable business, tourism and transport hub.
ODM wants parliament reopened
ODM Thursday asked President Kibaki to re-open Parliament next week so that MPs can address the key issue of growing insecurity in the country. Party secretary-general Anyang’ Nyong’o said the House was the best placed institution to deal with the issue, which was sparked by the disputed presidential elections. “Parliament is the only body that could speak on behalf of all Kenyans on the rising cases of insecurity,” Prof Nyong’o said.
The ODM official said President Kibaki should summon Parliament urgently because the situation on the ground is grave. But in case the President ignores their plea, Prof Nyong’o, who is the Kisumu Rural MP said, it would show that the Government was not concerned about the safety and lives of all Kenyans.
Cotu calls for review of Constitution
The workers umbrella body Thursday joined calls for a minimum review of the Constitution to break the political impasse in the country. Central Organisation of Trade Unions (Cotu) secretary-general Francis Atwoli warned that taking hardline positions would only plunge the country deeper into chaos. “Let them (negotiators from both sides) be told that if Kofi Annan is to leave the country without a solution, they will not be an exception this time round. No one will be safe,” he said.
Mr Atwoli urged ODM leaders to stop calling for mass action, saying Kenyans wanted to rebuild their lives. “Workers are tired, the business community is also tired. No one is interested in going to the streets.” He urged the National Dialogue and Reconciliation team to visit displaced persons and see the suffering for themselves. “After visiting these camps that they might come to terms with reality. It is then they can negotiate soberly,” he said. Mr Atwoli said 500,000 people had lost their jobs as a result of the post-election violence and warned that investors might consider moving to neighbouring countries if an agreement was not reached soon.
Daily Nation
Mass action call cited at Annan mediation
The ODM threat to call mass action was part of the agenda in the mediation talks. On Thursday, both sides agreed it was reckless to issue intimidating statements. But religious leaders and the civil society were divided on whether ODM was justified to call for mass action. Civil society said mass action was legitimate against an obstinate Government.
But Vice-President, Mr Kalonzo Musyoka, asked ODM to be patient. “We urge our colleagues to let (Dr Kofi) Annan conclude the talks without calls for mass action. Let us collectively give the talks the impetus and a chance to succeed,” he said.
Kenya can’t solve it alone
By Wangari Maathai*
The post-election crisis in Kenya remains unresolved. The damage being done to the country’s economy is severe: tourism, horticulture, and other industries that depend on trade beyond the Kenyan border are reeling. Thousands of livelihoods, along with investments throughout the region, are threatened and collapsing. As the situation in Kenya escalated - with murders, rapes, burning of property, looting, and the displacement of thousands of people throughout the country - the international community was urged to help. Many countries responded, providing essential humanitarian assistance and logistical support. For this, I and many other Kenyans are very grateful.
MoreHope over PM deal
Government and ODM negotiators Thursday closed ranks and agreed on the creation of the position of a Prime Minister. It was a major step in a process that may be inching closer to a break-through in the search for a settlement to end the post-election political crisis. Details of the powers and functions of the new position in Government hierarchy were yet to be fine-tuned by the mediation team chaired by former UN secretary-general Kofi Annan. The step could brighten the faces of thousands of Kenyans who have borne the brunt of the post-election violence and members of the international community that has consistently exerted pressure on President Kibaki and ODM leader Raila Odinga to end the political dispute.
Churches call for fresh poll
Kenyan religious leaders have called for a fresh general election as the only way out of the current political crisis. The leaders who comprised Christians, Muslims and Hindus also proposed the resignation of the Electoral Commission of Kenya (ECK) to pave way for its reconstitution. Speaking under the auspices of the Inter-Religious Forum at the Ufungamano House in Nairobi, the leaders reiterated their proposal to President Kibaki that wide consultations be made within the political parties regarding appointment of ECK commissioners to ensure the new body is credible.