What President Mwai Kibaki and ODM leader Raila Odinga agreed on

 The following is the text of the agreement signed Thursday by President Kibaki and ODM leader Raila Odinga to end Kenya’s political crisis.

The pact was witnessed by Mr Kofi Annan, the chief mediator, and Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete, who is also the chairman of the African Union.

Preamble

The crisis triggered by the 2007 disputed presidential election has brought to the surface deep-seated and long-standing divisions within Kenyan society. If left unaddressed, these divisions threaten the very existence of Kenya as a unified country. The Kenyan people are now looking to their leaders to ensure that their country will not be lost.

Given the current situation, neither side can realistically govern the country without the other. There must be real power-sharing to move the country forward and begin the healing and reconciliation process.

With this agreement, we are stepping forward together, as political leaders, to overcome the current crisis and to set the country on a new path. As partners in a coalition government, we commit ourselves to work together in good faith as true partners, through constant consultation and willingness to compromise.

This agreement is designed to create an environment conducive to such a partnership and to build mutual trust and confidence. It is not about creating positions that reward individuals. It seeks to enable Kenya’s political leaders to look beyond partisan considerations with a view to promoting the greater interests of the nation as a whole. It provides the means to implement a coherent and far-reaching reform agenda, to address the fundamental root causes of recurrent conflict and to create a better, secure and prosperous Kenya for all.

To resolve the political crisis, and in the spirit of coalition and partnership, we have agreed to enact the National Accord and Reconciliation Act 2008, whose provisions have been agreed upon in their entirety by the parties hereto and a draft copy thereof is appended hereto.

Its key points are:

There will be a prime minister of the Government of Kenya, with authority to coordinate and supervise the execution of the functions and affairs of the Government of Kenya.

The prime minister will be an elected member of the National Assembly and the parliamentary leader of the largest party in the National Assembly, or of a coalition, if the largest party does not command a majority.

Each member of the coalition shall nominate one person from the National Assembly to be appointed a deputy prime minister.

The Cabinet will consist of the President, the Vice-President, the prime minister, the two deputy prime ministers and the other ministers.
The removal of any minister of the coalition will be subject to consultation and concurrence in writing by the leaders.

The prime minister and deputy prime ministers can only be removed if the National Assembly passes a motion of no confidence with a majority vote.

The composition of the coalition government will at all times take into account the principle of portfolio balance and will reflect their relative parliamentary strength.

The coalition will be dissolved if the Tenth Parliament is dissolved; or if the parties agree in writing; or if one coalition partner withdraws from the coalition.

The National Accord and Reconciliation Act shall be entrenched in the Constitution.

Having agreed on the critical issues above, we will now take this process to Parliament. It will be convened at the earliest moment to enact these agreements. This will be in the form of an Act of Parliament and the necessary amendment to the Constitution.

We believe by these steps, we can together, in the spirit of partnership bring peace and prosperity back to the people of Kenya who so richly deserve it.

Published by Korir, API africanpress@getmail.no source.nation.ke

Unrest in Cameroon causes over 20 deaths

<From Tansa Musa

YAOUNDE, Feb 29 – Authorities in Cameroon on Thursday appealed for dialogue to end four days of social unrest, the worst anti-government riots in over a decade, to protest rising fuel prices and the cost of living in the Central African country, as main opposition leader John Fru Ndi of the Social Democratic Front (SDF) said President Paul Biya was “out of touch” with the people, referring to him as an “absentee landlord” during his 25 years in power.

Officials estimate up to 20 people have been killed in five days of protests in several cities, including the main economic and port city of Douala and the capital Yaounde. Protesters have vented their rage over high fuel and food prices and a bid by Biya to prolong his presidential mandate in the Central African oil producing country when last December 31 he announced his intention to modify the constitution to run for a third seven-year term when the present mandate expires in 2011. 

Yaounde and Douala, which were paralysed by rioting and looting since Monday, remained tense but relatively calm on Thursday. Police and soldiers patrolled the streets, but most businesses were closed and public transport was not operating.

 On Wednesday evening, a stern-faced 75-year old Biya, appeared on state television to accuse political opponents of fomenting the riots to try to topple him by force. He offered no concessions to protesters demanding falls in the cost of fuel and basic foods, beyond slight fuel price cuts agreed by the government on Tuesday. The government would use “all legal means” to guarantee the rule of law, Biya said.

“The issue at stake is the use, not to say exploitation, of transporters’ strike  for political ends. For some people, who by the way, did not hide their intentions, the objective is to obtain through violence what they were unable to obtain through the ballot box, that is to say, through the normal functioning of democracy…,” he stated.

 ”These apprentice sorcerers who manipulated the youths behind the scenes, were not bothered about the risk that they made them to run by exposing them to confrontation with the forces of law and order. As a result, several of them lost their lives, which, of course, cannot but be deplore…It should therefore be made absolutely clear that Cameroon is a constitutional state and intends to remain so…To those who are responsible for manipulating the youths to achieve their aims, I want to tell them that their attempts are doomed to failure. All legal means available to government will be brought into play to ensure the rule of law.”

 Communication Minister Jean Pierre Biyiti bi Essam followed up on Thursday with an appeal for dialogue. “Our beautiful country is at a crossroads, people are dying in our main cities and peace is in danger … Let’s call for dialogue and negotiations between people whenever there are differences,” he told Reuters after meeting newspaper editors to urge them to contribute to the dialogue process.

 Biyiti bi Essam said it was difficult to give a precise death toll from the riots, in which stone-throwing protesters clashed with armed riot police and public buildings, businesses, shops and vehicles were set ablaze in a string of western towns. “The death toll is very high, but less than 20,” the minister said. But he said not all the deaths occurred in clashes between security forces and protesters. Some resulted from the settling of personal scores and fights over loot. But independent sources put the death toll at over 20.

Far from pacifying citizens, Biya’s broadcast appeared to have infuriated many protesters, including taxi drivers whose strike over high fuel prices on Monday triggered the wider unrest. Witnesses reported protests overnight in the western towns of Limbe and Bamenda and at least four persons were killed.

  “This man is not serious. Is he taking us for fools?” said Sebastien Ebanga, a taxi driver in Yaounde. “The strike will continue,” he added. For his part, SDF leader John Fru Ndi denied Biya’s charge that the opposition was behind the demonstrations. He said Biya ruled like an “absentee landlord, not always in touch with the people. He does not know their problems.”

 Biya announced eight weeks ago that he might change the constitution to stay in power when his present term ends in 2011. Critics say he could use his party’s majority in the National Assembly to make the constitutional amendments. This riots followed another one in the main economic centre of Douala last Saturday to denounce the proposed constitutional change in which police shot two people dead.

  There are already growing concerns that Cameroon, the island of peace in a turbulent Central African sub-region, may, like Kenya in East Africa, slip into chaos. hence the multiplication of calls from development partners on president Biya to initiate dialogue with the opposition and other lively forces in the nation, to resolve issues concerning the state. But so far, Biya, reputed for his high-handedness, refuses to budge.(END) 

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Joy as Kibaki, Raila sign power sharing deal

By Patrick Wachira

Finally, the much-awaited power sharing deal that has been shrouded in controversy, but which held the only key to a peaceful and agreeable settlement of the post-election impasse has been signed.

Both President Kibaki and the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader, Mr Raila Odinga, appended their signatures on the historic deal that saw the return of the Office of the Prime Minister scrapped by Jomo Kenyatta in 1964.

News that a deal had been struck touched off a carnival mood in Orange strongholds, relief in many parts of the country and general optimism to a battered and anxious population.

The world watched Dr Kofi Annan and his UN-backed Panel of African Eminent Persons and African Union chairman Jakaya Kikwete as they brought together the erstwhile rivals in a ceremony beamed live on TV.

In a nutshell, the deal — which will be entrenched in the Constitution — created the post of an executive prime minister, who will supervise ministers and lead Government in Parliament. It also provides for the sharing of Cabinet positions based on the strength of parties in the House.

President Kibaki and Mr Raila Odinga sign an agreement on power sharing, expected to end the crippling political crisis triggered by the discredited presidential elections. Looking on are, from left to right, Mr Amos Wako, President Kikwete, Dr Kofi Annan, Mr Benjamin Mkapa and Mr James Orengo.

This memorable covenant that could usher in a new era of reforms — which successive regimes have procrastinated over until the near post-poll meltdown — will assume legal and constitutional force when Parliament is summoned on Thursday next week.On Thursday night, Britain and the United States, who have stridently pushed for “real power-sharing” to break the crippling impasse arising from a discredited presidential election, swiftly welcomed the development. “Kenya’s leaders have reached a power-sharing agreement that represents a triumph for peace and diplomacy, and a renunciation of the violence that has scarred a country of such enormous potential,” British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said.

He added: “Common sense has prevailed, and the Kenyan people have the outcome for which they have hoped and prayed. I applaud the courage that Kenya’s leaders have shown in taking the tough decisions necessary to put Kenya back on the path to prosperity, democracy and stability which it is so richly deserves”.

However, Brown said the hard work must continue, adding: “Kenyans need help to resettle and rebuild. Real leadership, patience and tolerance are necessary to ensure that the agreement sticks”.

Mr Tom Casey, the US State Department spokesman summed the outcome expected to put the country back on track after a bloodletting that claimed at least 1,000 lives and left close to half a million people displaced, thus: “That’s an important and very positive step forward. We are very pleased to see that this agreement has been reached”.

He noted that the deal would allow the Kenyan people to move forward with what he described as “a very basic issue of governance”. The official added: “We want to see this agreement implemented… We certainly appreciate the goodwill shown by both President Kibaki and Mr Odinga in reaching this agreement. We certainly would hope that everyone associated with their political parties and movements would work with them to support this deal and move it forward”.

In his speech soon after signing the accord, President Kibaki gave a solemn promise to see to it that the deal was honoured to the letter so that Kenyans could embark on the task of nation building and reconstruction.

The President was in a jovial mood as he signed off a portion of his powers to rival Raila in a historic moment at the steps of Harambee House.

Post of Prime Minister The new office of the PM will have power and authority to co-ordinate and supervise the functions of the Government and will be occupied by an elected MP who will also be the leader of the party or coalition with majority members in Parliament.Further, his removal and that of his two deputies will only be through a vote of no confidence by majority MPs.

The coalition government will also reflect portfolio balance and party strength in Parliament.

On Thursday, the Office of the President — chosen after Raila and his team objected to having mediation talks held at State House — was the venue yet again of this momentous occasion.

Earlier, Annan had engaged Kibaki and Raila for the better part of five hours as they discussed the making of a new political dispensation not seen before in the country’s history.

In his speech, Kibaki asked Kenyans to rededicate themselves and to engage in “productive activities that contribute to the prosperity and well-being of our nation. We should also be a caring nation that reaches out to its neighbours and those who are disadvantaged in our society”.

Raila regretted that for the last two months, Kenyans had known nothing but sadness. He, however, said that the tragic events that followed the discredited presidential elections would also serve as a platform to launch reforms that would make Kenya a better place to live.

Said he: “I wish to thank millions who turned up on the 27th of December to vote. Those who voted were exercising their democratic rights. Kenyans did not know that turmoil would follow but this is what countries at times go through”.

He added: “Many have been killed, many orphaned, many widowed and many displaced. We should ensure that Kenyans begin to celebrate and love each otherÉThe crisis was a test for Kenya and a lesson for a forum for foundation for a united country”.

In his speech, Annan said he and other mediators would continue with the talks until other agenda, including land access and equity, as well as poverty eradication, are concluded.

On his part Kikwete referred to the violence that rocked Kenya as a historical accident, saying it can be a “thing of the past”.

He said the toil and sweat of the mediation team had been handsomely rewarded following yesterday’s signing of the power deal.

“This agreement, if implemented fully, will help the people of Kenya,” he said.

Kikwete said friends of Kenya were keen to see the agreement implemented in full, following which they would assist in the task of reconstruction.

He said the task was not for the two principals but the entire Kenyan population across social and political divides.

Earlier, Annan had said he would sustain his efforts until the entire job was completed. He said the AG would work on the Constitutional amendment to be tabled in Parliament for enactment.

He commended the efforts of the mediators, which made the deal possible. “Let the process of healing begin now,” he said.

The deal was a result of give and take, he said, and expressed hope that those involved would not be left with a feeling that they either gave too much or got too little.

Published by Korir, API africanpress@getmail.no source.standard.ke