Kenya’s politicians remain divided

NAIROBI – Kenya’s rival politicians remain divided over the details of forming a government together to end the postelection crisis, government negotiators said yesterday.

The officials said local media reports that the two sides had gotten as far as divvying up ministries were wrong. Government negotiator Martha Karua said the only items that had been decided on so far were the creation of a prime minister’s post and its responsibility for coordinating government ministries, and the termination of the coalition if parliament is dissolved.”All other issues are under negotiation, to which end various proposals by the parties are on the table for discussion,” Karua told reporters.Opposition spokesman Tony Gachoka said he had not yet seen the statement distributed by Karua and declined to comment until he had read it in full.Kenya’s peace talks have been volleying between a deal and collapse for more than a week now as the country’s politicians struggle to find a compromise to move on from a flawed election that sparked widespread ethnic fighting.Opposition leader Raila Odinga charges that he was the rightful winner of the December 27 presidential vote, which international and local election monitors have said was manipulated.President Mwai Kibaki maintains that he legitimately won another term.The ensuing violence, which has killed more than 1 000 people and forced hundreds of thousands to flee their homes, has pushed the two sides to agree to form some sort of power-sharing government.But working out the details of this government has been the problem.Among some of the unresolved issues is whether the constitution will be amended to accommodate the changes to the government.Both sides have accused the other of stonewalling as talks drag on.Opposition leaders “are the ones who have been stuck in the same place like a broken record,” government negotiator Mutula Kilonzo said yesterday.Odinga’s supporters have levied similar charges against Kibaki’s party, even threatening mass protests if concrete progress is not made by the end of the day Wednesday.Both sides have said they hope for a deal early this week.Karua said the government decided it needed to clarify the details of the negotiations because local papers had gone too far in speculating about the extent of the agreements.- Nampa-APGovernment negotiator Martha Karua said the only items that had been decided on so far were the creation of a prime minister’s post and its responsibility for coordinating government ministries, and the termination of the coalition if parliament is dissolved.”All other issues are under negotiation, to which end various proposals by the parties are on the table for discussion,” Karua told reporters.Opposition spokesman Tony Gachoka said he had not yet seen the statement distributed by Karua and declined to comment until he had read it in full.Kenya’s peace talks have been volleying between a deal and collapse for more than a week now as the country’s politicians struggle to find a compromise to move on from a flawed election that sparked widespread ethnic fighting.Opposition leader Raila Odinga charges that he was the rightful winner of the December 27 presidential vote, which international and local election monitors have said was manipulated.President Mwai Kibaki maintains that he legitimately won another term.The ensuing violence, which has killed more than 1 000 people and forced hundreds of thousands to flee their homes, has pushed the two sides to agree to form some sort of power-sharing government.But working out the details of this government has been the problem.Among some of the unresolved issues is whether the constitution will be amended to accommodate the changes to the government.Both sides have accused the other of stonewalling as talks drag on.Opposition leaders “are the ones who have been stuck in the same place like a broken record,” government negotiator Mutula Kilonzo said yesterday.Odinga’s supporters have levied similar charges against Kibaki’s party, even threatening mass protests if concrete progress is not made by the end of the day Wednesday.Both sides have said they hope for a deal early this week.Karua said the government decided it needed to clarify the details of the negotiations because local papers had gone too far in speculating about the extent of the agreements. – Nampa-AP