Odinga, Kibaki in new battle
2008-03-27 19:10
Nairobi - Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki on Thursday appealed for patience as he and Raila Odinga's opposition Orange Democratic Movement appeared locked in a bitter struggle over the distribution of cabinet posts.
The pair reached a power-sharing agreement on February 28, in a bid to end the violence that left 1 500 dead and hundreds of thousands homeless after disputed December elections.
"We have begun the process of entrenching the National Accord and Reconciliation Act that was passed by parliament recently," Kibaki said, speaking at a police graduation ceremony.
The act, together with a constitutional amendment act, entrenched the power-sharing accord into the constitution, paving the way for the creation of a coalition government.
But Kibaki and Odinga, slated to become the prime minister, have failed to agree on the distribution of cabinet posts.
The Kibaki camp has agreed to share all posts, but insists on retaining the finance and public service portfolios, a position that the ODM has refused to accept.
"The government appreciates the patience of Kenyans and assures them it is committed to move the country forward in the spirit of national reconciliation and development," government spokesperson Alfred Mutua said.
"Honourable Raila is ready and very willing to continue the discussions on the size of the cabinet and on portfolio balance," ODM spokesperson Salim Lone told AFP.