Kenya: Rival parties reach agreement


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Kenyan warring political rivals have reached an agreement to end the post election crisis but detailed talks on the exact political settlement would not be known until Tuesday next week, former UN chief Kofi Annan announced on Friday.

Kenyan warring political rivals have reached an agreement to end the post election crisis but detailed talks on the exact political settlement would not be known until Tuesday next week, former UN chief Kofi Annan announced on Friday.

“We have agreed that what is needed is a political solution. I sincerely hope we would conclude the item on the political settlement by early next week,” Annan told a news conference after briefing President Mwai Kibaki and his rival Raila Odinga.

Earlier, reports had suggested a power-sharing pact had been reached between Kibaki and Odinga although it was not immediately clear if the pact was reached on the basis of an interim government to lead to a presidential re-run in months. “Everyone realized we have a serious problem. They also accepted they needed a solution. We are actively discussing the terms of that political settlement,” Annan said.

The post-election violence erupted in Kenya soon after the results of the 27 December presidential polls were announced. At least 1,000 people have been killed in the ensuing bloodshed and 300,000 displaced.

UN Under-Secretary-General John Holmes, who arrived Kenya on a fact-finding mission, held talks with Kenya’s Special Programmes Minister Naomi Shaban. Holmes said the authorities should not undertake forced return of the internally displaced people (IDP). “We are supporting Annan mediation efforts. I would be visiting the IDP camps. We are active on the ground in prompting reconciliation. There is a lot to do,” Holmes said.

Shaban said the authorities were examining various aspects of the returns before making any move towards transporting the victims. Meanwhile, Annan said the terms of the political settlement could be concluded by Tuesday. “We are making progress. We are in the process of working out the details of the settlement, with a little luck, we would have the full political settlement by e ither Monday or Tuesday,” he added.

A senior member of the opposition Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), William Ruto , had been quoted as saying the talks had progressed to the point of a power-sha r ing accord, but Annan described the assertion as “jumping the gun but not unjustified”.

“He is not unjustified in his optimism…he was jumping the gun but there is ground for optimism. We have narrowed down the issues. “We did not go to negotiate with President Kibaki and Raila, we went to brief th em. They were not expected to make any comments on them.”

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