Kenya peace deal to come before Parliament

NAIROBI – President Mwai Kibaki yesterday urged lawmakers to pass the laws needed to enforce the country’s new power-sharing agreement as Parliament convened for the first time since the deal was signed.

The agreement, reached last week, calls for Kibaki and opposition leader Raila Odinga to share power after both sides claimed victory in the December 27 presidential election. Their dispute unleashed weeks of bloodshed, killing more than 1 000 people and exposing divisions over land and economic inequality.”I urge honorable members to ensure that all the necessary bills to implement the accord and other socio-economic reforms are dealt with promptly so that Kenya can restore and even exceed its former glory,” Kibaki said in Parliament.International and local observers say the presidential vote was rigged, and it’s unclear who won.They also have accused politicians of fomenting the violence.No votes were expected in Kenya’s unicameral Parliament yesterday, the official opening of a session that will include 204 legislators, 115 of them newly elected.But Kibaki planned to outline the legislative agenda, including the two bills that are needed to enforce the power-sharing deal, one a constitutional amendment.An editorial yesterday’s independent Daily Nation newspaper urged Parliament to act swiftly with the goal of “pulling this country from the brink of collapse and propelling it to the heights of political yesterday, debate was due to begin on Tuesday followed by a vote, so it will be next week before Kenya has the laws necessary to implement power sharing.Much depends on how Kibaki and Odinga – who lashed out at each other bitterly for weeks – work together in the days ahead.Under last week’s deal, Odinga will become prime minister and have the power to “coordinate and supervise” the government – more authority than Kibaki wanted to yield.There also is the matter of restoring one of Africa’s most promising economies.Kenya, one of the most prosperous and tourist-friendly countries in Africa, has seen up to US$1 billion in losses linked to the turmoil.Nampa-APTheir dispute unleashed weeks of bloodshed, killing more than 1 000 people and exposing divisions over land and economic inequality.”I urge honorable members to ensure that all the necessary bills to implement the accord and other socio-economic reforms are dealt with promptly so that Kenya can restore and even exceed its former glory,” Kibaki said in Parliament.International and local observers say the presidential vote was rigged, and it’s unclear who won.They also have accused politicians of fomenting the violence.No votes were expected in Kenya’s unicameral Parliament yesterday, the official opening of a session that will include 204 legislators, 115 of them newly elected.But Kibaki planned to outline the legislative agenda, including the two bills that are needed to enforce the power-sharing deal, one a constitutional amendment.An editorial yesterday’s independent Daily Nation newspaper urged Parliament to act swiftly with the goal of “pulling this country from the brink of collapse and propelling it to the heights of political yesterday, debate was due to begin on Tuesday followed by a vote, so it will be next week before Kenya has the laws necessary to implement power sharing.Much depends on how Kibaki and Odinga – who lashed out at each other bitterly for weeks – work together in the days ahead.Under last week’s deal, Odinga will become prime minister and have the power to “coordinate and supervise” the government – more authority than Kibaki wanted to yield.There also is the matter of restoring one of Africa’s most promising economies.Kenya, one of the most prosperous and tourist-friendly countries in Africa, has seen up to US$1 billion in losses linked to the turmoil.Nampa-AP