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Politicians meet with supporters
23/02/2008 22:10 - (SA)
Nairobi - Government and opposition leaders in Kenya said they were once again closing in on a deal to share power on Saturday, but continued to spar over details as they asked a violence-weary country to wait a few days more for the end of a bloody political crisis.
Talks were suspended over the weekend as negotiators met with their respective party leaders in consultations they said would push them closer to a deal when they resume Monday.
But as both sides try to share power without relinquishing authority, a deal has remained elusive despite repeated promises of an imminent agreement.
Though recent weeks have been largely calm, Kenya has been scarred by the deaths of more than 1 000 people as about 600 000 were forced from their homes.
Despite weeks of international pressure, President Mwai Kibaki and opposition leader Raila Odinga have not agreed on how to resolve a crisis stemming from the December 27 election, which local and foreign observers say was rigged.
Political opportunity
On Friday, a senior African diplomat said the negotiations had reached a crucial - and largely positive - stage.
"We are satisfied with the progress made," said Jean Ping, chairperson of the African Union Commission. "I have an impression that we are moving."
But with the weekend came the need for each side to decide its position on difficult issues. These include the specific powers involved in the prime minister post being created for Odinga and whether changes to the government structure should be temporary, or inscribed permanently into the constitution as an amendment.
"There is a political opportunity that can move the process forward. ... One would hope that we do not again return to posturing by arguments that a constitutional amendment is not possible," said Tony Gachoka, a spokesperson for Odinga's Orange Democratic Party.
But government negotiators sounded unwilling to consider any sort of constitutional change to end the ethnic attacks and mass migrations that have followed the election.
"You cannot amend a constitution to accommodate just one individual," government negotiator Mutula Kilonzo told The Associated Press.
He said the government was comfortable with giving a prime minister powers to coordinate and "possibly supervise" ministries and government departments but not executive powers that would supersede the president - an indication of the subtle tricks of language being debated.
Still, Kilonzo said he was confident that a deal was imminent.
Process long, painful
"By Wednesday we will have something that can be presented to Parliament," he said. That would meet a deadline set by the opposition, which called Friday for "immediate mass civil disobedience" if no "tangible outcome" is achieved by Wednesday. Previous demonstrations have turned violent as police tried to push back the crowds.
The opposition has said such threats are needed to push the government to action. Odinga's party has accused the administration of dragging out the negotiations in the hope that the opposition will be forced to give way.
Meanwhile, Kenyans are getting impatient.
"The process has been long and painful," said John Nduati, 28, a sales attendant at a clothing store in the capital, Nairobi.
Many fear a swift resurgence of violence if there is no power-sharing agreement soon. The election returned Kibaki to power for a second five-year term after Odinga's lead in early vote counting evaporated overnight. The ensuing fighting has stirred up ethnic grievances over land and poverty that have bedeviled Kenya since independence in 1963.
Associated Press writer Tom Odula contributed to this report.
- AP
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