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Kenyans are the real winners says Amayo

Kenyans are the real winners says Amayo
By Mutuna Chanda
Sunday March 02, 2008 [03:00]

Kenyans are the real winners in the success of negotiations over the disputed polls that resulted in violence, Kenyan High Commissioner to Zambia Lazarus Amayo has said. And Foreign affairs minister Kabinga Pande has hailed the power sharing agreement between Kenya’s President Mwai Kibaki and opposition leader Raila Odinga. Kibaki and Odinga last Thursday signed an agreement in Nairobi that provided for a coalition government.

The coalition government provided for the creation of a post of executive Prime Minister, who would have authority to coordinate and supervise the execution of functions of the affairs of government, and two Deputy Prime Ministers one from each of the coalition partners.

It is hoped that the agreement brokered by the Kofi Annan led panel of eminent Africans, would defuse the tension that has rocked Kenya since the disputed December 27 elections which sparked violence that left over 1,000 people dead and displaced close to half a million others.
And commenting on the agreement, High Commissioner Amayo said in an interview that the relief that the signing of the coalition agreement had brought among Kenyans was significant.

“We are very happy that at last an agreement has been found on the most important issue of solving the political problem,” High Commissioner Amayo said. “What remains is implementing the agreement and part of the process is amending the Constitution. With the commitment of the two leaders, we hope that what will be done is for the good of Kenyans.”

He commended the mediation efforts of the Annan team comprising ex-Tanzanian president Benjamin Mkapa and Nelson Mandela’s wife Graca Machel. He also gave credit to Kibaki and Odinga, and their negotiating teams.

“We are happy that the political leadership of Kenya has seen it fit to work together,” he said. “The unfortunate incident is now in the past.”
High Commissioner Amayo said Kenyans were now working at rebuilding their lives and that with time they would overcome their remaining challenges.

“We’ll use the past to foster stronger national unity not only for the good of this generation but for generations to come,” High Commissioner Amayo said. “Some people lost lives, jobs and others are widows. The challenge which remains is on national healing, reconciliation and resettlement of internally displaced persons but there is goodwill from all Kenyans and the international community.”

He thanked all those who wished Kenya well in the two months that it underwent political tension and violence.
And giving his preliminary comments on the power sharing deal, Pande urged the Kibaki and Odinga parties to sustain the deal.

“Otherwise, it will not be pleasing if any one of them violates the agreement,” said Pande. “Both parties should adhere to the terms of the agreement and ensure that they implement it to the utmost.”
And Pande said the Zambian community in Kenya was still safe and that no one had been hurt during the period that Kenya experienced clashes.

According to the agreement, the Prime Minister position, to be taken by Odinga, would be the leader of the largest party or coalition in Parliament.

It further provided for the sharing of Cabinet positions based on the strength of political parties in Parliament.

President Kibaki announced that the state opening of Parliament would be on March 6, to begin the process of converting the agreement into law, which would be called the National Accord and Reconciliation Act.
In the last lap of the negotiations led by Annan, the new African Union chairperson Jakaya Kikwete, who is also Tanzanian President, stepped in and witnessed the deal that was kick-started by his predecessor John Kuffour, Ghana’s President.

Labels: KENYA

posted by MrK @ 8:54 AM