Ariddia
13-04-2008, 16:52
Kenya's president has announced a new power-sharing cabinet following a deal with the opposition to end the long-running political crisis.
President Mwai Kibaki named opposition leader Raila Odinga as the new prime minister, after the pair agreed the deal on Saturday in secret talks.
The crisis was sparked by presidential elections in December that triggered violence in which 1,500 people died.
The deal overcame a row over how the cabinet posts would be divided.
Mr Kibaki said in a live televised speech alongside Mr Odinga: "My challenge to the new cabinet members and the entire national leadership at all levels is: let us put politics aside and get to work."
[...]
Although the administration is very large, he says many Kenyans will breath a collective sigh of relief that perhaps the country can now move forward.
The cabinet will work on framing a new constitution over the next year that will tackle long-standing grievances over land, wealth and power.
The two leaders had come under intense international pressure to achieve a breakthrough.
The deal on power-sharing had been brokered by former UN secretary general Kofi Annan in February and a cabinet was scheduled to be announced on 6 April.
(link (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7345318.stm))
Thank goodness for sensible heads (at last), and thank you, Kofi Annan. Now of course they need to make it work.
President Mwai Kibaki named opposition leader Raila Odinga as the new prime minister, after the pair agreed the deal on Saturday in secret talks.
The crisis was sparked by presidential elections in December that triggered violence in which 1,500 people died.
The deal overcame a row over how the cabinet posts would be divided.
Mr Kibaki said in a live televised speech alongside Mr Odinga: "My challenge to the new cabinet members and the entire national leadership at all levels is: let us put politics aside and get to work."
[...]
Although the administration is very large, he says many Kenyans will breath a collective sigh of relief that perhaps the country can now move forward.
The cabinet will work on framing a new constitution over the next year that will tackle long-standing grievances over land, wealth and power.
The two leaders had come under intense international pressure to achieve a breakthrough.
The deal on power-sharing had been brokered by former UN secretary general Kofi Annan in February and a cabinet was scheduled to be announced on 6 April.
(link (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7345318.stm))
Thank goodness for sensible heads (at last), and thank you, Kofi Annan. Now of course they need to make it work.