Kenya's Political Rivals Agree to Share Power

By Anastacia Mott Austin

After weeks of discussions, sometimes tense, between political rivals Mwai Kibaki and Raila Odinga in Kenya, the two have agreed to an arrangement that allows them to share power.

Kibaki, who was re-elected President on December 27th of last year among widespread accusations of fraud, will remain so, and Odinga will be appointed Prime Minister.

Kibaki, who is a member of the Kikulu tribe in Kenya, and Odinga, whose tribe is Luo, both say they won December’s election. The disputed election threw the nation into chaos, with mass rioting and violence. 1500 people lost their lives in the violence that occurred after the election, and thousands were forced to flee their homes.

The signing ceremony for the power-sharing agreement was carried out in Nairobi, with former United Nations secretary general Kofi Annan in attendance. Annan has worked with Kibaki and Odinga in trying to reach a compromise over the conflict.

Odinga as prime minister will have certain governmental powers, though details have yet to be worked out over the specifics, such as whether or not he will have the ability to make decisions that cannot be overruled by Kibaki.

Kenya’s parliament will meet next week to begun discussing the details of the agreement.

"The constitutional amendments will tell us exactly who does what, what the prime minister can do precisely, because right now all we have are principles," said Francois Grignon, director of the Africa Program at the International Crisis Group. "Until we have practical answers, were in a situation in which a small incident can escalate into a large-scale confrontation."

Grignon’s sentiments are echoed among the people of Kenya, who largely feel hopeful about the compromise but are understandably nervous about its success. The economy in the country, formerly a popular tourist destination, has suffered greatly during the unrest.

Nelson Ochieng told reporters at The Associated Press, "The general mood among people is that of happiness. We are tired of the political crisis. I was a barber but my shop was burnt. Now I'm jobless and the end of this crisis means that I can rebuild my business."

Others are not feeling as optimistic. "The deal between Raila and Kibaki will help to cool down the situation," said Paul Waweru to reporters. "But I doubt if it will enable us to get back to our homes." Waweru is currently living at a temporary camp for those who were forced to flee following the violence.

But both Kibaki and Odinga say they are committed to sharing power and making the agreement work. "This process has reminded us that as a nation there are more issues that unite than that divide us," said Kibaki.

Added Anan, "Today we have reached an important staging post, but the journey is far from over. The real challenge is for President Kibaki and the honorable Raila Odinga to work together to heal and reconcile this nation."