Africa, Headlines

POLITICS-KENYA: Rice Lobbies for Power-Sharing Government

Kwamboka Oyaro

NAIROBI, Feb 18 2008 (IPS) - U.S Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has told feuding political leaders in Kenya that power-sharing is central to pulling the country out of its post-election crisis.

She was speaking Monday in the capital, Nairobi, during a brief visit to support efforts at reaching a settlement in Kenya, where claims of fraud in the Dec. 27 presidential poll led to a wave of violence that claimed over 1,000 lives – and displaced up to 600,000 people, according to the United Nations. Opposition leader Raila Odinga accuses President Mwai Kibaki of rigging the vote to return to power.

"There needs to be a governance arrangement that will allow real power-sharing, that will allow a…grand coalition," Rice told a press conference at the American ambassador&#39s residence, echoing statements made last week by former U.N. secretary-general Kofi Annan about a possible "grand coalition" to address the crisis. Annan, the chief mediator in talks to end the impasse between Kibaki and Odinga, was present at the briefing.

"Kenya was on the road to modern democracy and it must return to that road. Democracy is good for Kenya, it is good for the Kenyan people. The crisis is an opportunity to put the country on a firm democratic footing," Rice said, noting that the current situation in Kenya did not allow for normal relations with the United States.

Rice traveled to Kenya from neighbouring Tanzania, where she was accompanying U.S. President George W. Bush on a five-nation tour of Africa. Reports indicate that the United States has committed itself to increasing aid to Kenya in the event that the country resolves the current crisis.

Discussions between the president&#39s Party of National Unity (PNU) and Odinga&#39s Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) have been underway since the end of January, with Annan telling journalists Friday that the two sides were close to agreeing on a power-sharing arrangement.

However, reports indicate that Kibaki has – to date – simply offered a number of cabinet posts to the opposition, far less than envisaged by the ODM. Speculation has focused on the creation of a government that retains Kibaki as president while Odinga serves as prime minister, even though this post is not yet provided for in the constitution.

Speaking on the eve of Rice&#39s visit, Foreign Affairs Minister Moses Wetangula warned against foreign pressure for a settlement to be reached.

"We encourage our friends to support us and not make any mistake of putting a gun to anybody&#39s head and saying &#39either/or&#39, because that cannot work," he told journalists.

"Even if we get visitors to help us in any way possible, the answer to the problem in Kenya lies with Kenyans themselves."

However, during her press conference, Rice dismissed suggestions of coercion: "Kenya is a friend, an independent country and a proud people. We are not dictating. We are acting because of the impatience of Kenyans to have this resolved."

Earlier in the day she held talks with Annan; the visit also included separate discussions with both Kibaki and Odinga.

"To the president, President Kibaki, I will say power-sharing means real power-sharing and the United States, as a friend of Kenya, expects that power-sharing to take place to show that you can make the electoral and constitutional reforms that, frankly, should have been made several years ago," she noted ahead of her meeting with the head of state.

"To Mr Odinga, I will be saying that we understand that the election was problematic, the United States has said that. But again, power-sharing does need to take place."

Odinga had initially insisted that Kibaki step down from office, ahead of polls being re-held.

In addition to power-sharing, the talks have focused on reforms that need to be enacted to deal with the underlying causes of the post-election violence, including economic disparities and disputes over land ownership.

The poll crisis has seen ethnic divisions flare, with hostilities often directed against the Kikuyu, long dominant in Kenyan politics and business, and the group to which Kibaki belongs. Odinga is a member of the Luo.

During her visit, Rice also met representatives of civil society and business, who expressed the desire for a quick resolution to the crisis.

The clashes in Kenya have badly affected the country&#39s key tourism industry, and disrupted trade with neighbouring states. Over the past fortnight, however, the violence has ebbed.

While a power-sharing government remains elusive, the PNU and ODM have made progress on another front. Both parties have agreed to the creation of an Independent Review Commission to probe all aspects of December&#39s poll.

Discussions between the two sides adjourned last week, and are apparently set to resume Tuesday.