Annan's mediation 'not needed'
2008-01-14 13:33
Nairobi - The Kenyan government on Monday rejected a mediation mission by former United Nations chief Kofi Annan to try to end political unrest and sent a stern warning to the opposition ahead of nationwide protests.
Two weeks after President Mwai Kibaki's contested re-election sparked violence that had left more than 700 dead, Annan was due in Nairobi on Tuesday, said his office.
But Kibaki's government again rejected international mediation of the crisis, which had also left a million displaced.
"If Kofi Annan is coming, he is not coming at our invitation," Roads and Public Works Minister John Michuki, a hardline member of Kibaki's new cabinet, said.
"We won the elections so we do not see the point for anyone coming to mediate power-sharing," he added.
Frazer 'deeply disappointed'
International mediation efforts have so far failed to bring Kibaki to the negotiating table with opposition leader Raila Odinga, who says the December 27 election was rigged to rob him of the presidency.
African Union chief John Kufuor left the country last week with little to show for two days of talks with both camps.
Top United States Africa envoy Jendayi Frazer, who spent a week in Kenya, said afterwards she was "deeply disappointed" that the two rivals had been unable to reach agreement on how to hold direct discussions.
She also warned that the US could not "conduct business as usual in Kenya".
International observers had voiced concern over irregularities in December 27 polls' vote tallying, but no foreign power had come out strongly against Kibaki, who took the oath an hour after the results were announced.
The 76-year-old was due to inaugurate Kenya's 10th parliament on Tuesday.
Opposition braced for further clashes
Neither his Party of National Unity (PNU) nor Odinga's opposition Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) managed to secure a majority, prompting a fight between both sides to woo smaller parties ahead of the chamber's re-opening.
Odinga had vowed his party would sit down on the government's side on the parliament benches.
"We expect rough times and a major showdown in parliament, dominated by patronage, vendettas and unproductiveness if the situation remains as it is," said Kenyan political analyst Evans Manduku on Monday.
Senior ODM official William Ruto denied that by attending the opening of parliament convened by Kibaki, the opposition would be recognising the legitimacy of his presidency.
"We are not going to sit back and allow them install a speaker who will pave the way for the illegitimacy to continue," he said.
Meanwhile, police and opposition supporters braced for further clashes on Wednesday, the first day of three days of nationwide rallies to protest Kibaki's re-election.
A police ban on the rallies had fuelled fears of fresh violence in the east African nation, after a police crackdown with teargas and water cannons on previous opposition demonstrations.