Annan: “We have agreed”

Story by LUCAS BARASA and CHURCHILL OTIENO
Thursday, February 28, 2008

Africa Union chairman, President Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania chaired a meeting with Mr Annan and rivals President Kibaki and Raila Odinga that lasted from 10am to 3pm at Nairobi’s Harambee House.

Mr Annan told journalists soon after the meeting that they had managed to agree and that details would be made public in about an hour.

He said the parties were also expected to sign a document spelling out the agreement later today. A desk is already in place on the lobby of Harambee House in what seems to be preparations for a signing ceremony.

The two sides have until today disagreed on how to structure a coalition Government. President Kibaki maintains he is ready to appoint a Prime Minister and two deputies, but under the current Constitution.

The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) insists any power sharing arrangement must be cemented through relevant Constitutional changes. They also want the PM to be named head of Government and the President to be head of State, and equal sharing of Cabinet positions, among others.

Also at the meeting was former Tanzanian President Benjamin Mkapa, who sits with Mr Annan in the Panel of Eminent African personalities who have been driving the mediation since January. The third panellist is former South African first lady Graca Machel, however she did not attend today’s meeting.

Both President Kibaki and Mr Odinga arrived at the venue of the talks accompanied by some of their negotiators, but it is not yet clear whether they were allowed into today’s meeting.

Those at the venue include the Government negotiating team that include Cabinet ministers Martha Karua (Justice), Moses Wetangula (Foreign Affairs), Prof Sam Ongeri (Education) and Mbooni MP Mutula Kilonzo. They were joined by Local Government minister Uhuru Kenyatta and Attorney General Amos Wako.

Mr Odinga arrived with his negotiators Musalia Mudavadi, James Orengo, Dr Sally Kosgei and Mvita MP Najib Balala.

President Kikwete arrived in Nairobi on Tuesday soon after Mr Annan suspended the mediation talks that had being going on at Nairobi’s Serena Hotel. The decision came after the Government and the ODM negotiators failed to compromise on how to create a Prime Minister position, seen as key in the structure of power sharing arrangement.

The Tanzanian President initially planned to depart Nairobi yesterday but extended his visit by a day.

Local and international pressure is on President Mwai Kibaki and Mr Odinga to compromise on a power-sharing agreement.

Kenya was thrown into a political crisis after Kibaki was declared the winner of a disputed December 27 presidential election.

Violence that followed the announcement resulted in the death of more than 1,000 people and left over 350,000 others displaced.

Source: Daily Nation, Feb 28, 2008