What!!!?

[JAHAATWACH]

Kenya Peace Talks Hit Snag
1 hour ago

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — A critical day for Kenya's peace talks was thrown into disarray Friday as the opposition leader unexpectedly left the country.

Raila Odinga left Kenya on a chartered flight, according to an airport employee and two officials from Odinga's Orange Democratic Movement. Opposition official Musalia Mudavadi said Odinga was expected back Saturday and was still available for consultations on the negotiations while out of the country.

ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hu1q9MI4JTHR_27gg8FtQ6zvvFSwD8UV8EK00

[JAHAATWACH]

AP's half-baked story leaves more questions than answers:Ati Raila left the country unexpectedly meaning what?;

The news merchant should know better than to wire such report at time when Kenya is vexed with anxiety.The innuendo here is that this was an emergency flight and clouded in secrecy.Surely Mudavadi would not refuse to state whether the trip was official or private or an emergency.Why then not include that in the story so as to avert speculation and rumours.

[JAHAATWACH]

Kenya peace talks in disarray

Last Modified: 22 Feb 2008
Source: PA News

A critical day for Kenya's peace talks has been thrown into disarray when the opposition leader unexpectedly left the country and his party said the government failed to show up on time for the latest negotiations.

Raila Odinga left Kenya on a charter flight to Nigeria, according to an airport employee and two officials of Odinga's Orange Democratic Movement.

Odinga was expected back on Saturday and was still available for consultations on the negotiations while out of the country, said opposition official Musalia Mudavadi.

www.channel4.com/news/articles/world/kenya+peace+talks+in+disarray/1627062

[adongo23456]

There is some funny business going on.

politics.nationmedia.com/inner.asp?pcat=NEWS&cat=TOP&sid=1519

[insidious]

What the hell?.........why is it when a deal is about to be struck and the weekend is looming, strange events occur? This DOES NOT board well..................

[adongo23456]

Yap, something is not right. These folks have pulled the rabbit out of the hat so many times, may be they think they are invincible.

Then there is this statement from ODM

Kenya's opposition threatens mass

From CNN's David McKenzie

NAIROBI, Kenya (CNN) -- Kenya's opposition party says it will embark on a "mass civil disobedience campaign next week" if its demands aren't met in the intensive negotiations aimed at defusing the political crisis in the tense East African nation.


The lawmakers are calling for the prime minister's job and proportional sharing of powers in any new government. If the demands aren't met, the movement pledges to start its civil disobedience by Wednesday and will employ such tactics as work slowdowns to apply pressure in the talks.

Ababu Namwamba issued the statement Friday on behalf of lawmakers who believe talks between negotiators for President Mwai Kibaki and opposition leader Raila Odinga, who was in Nigeria on Friday, are being stalled by the government representatives.

Violence erupted in Kenya after the December 27 presidential elections, when incumbent Kibaki of the Party of National Unity (PNU) was declared victor. Odinga's backers said the election was rigged, and he and his supporters declined to recognize the election as valid.

The fighting that followed the election has broken down along tribal lines. Members of Kibaki's Kikuyu tribe and the Luos, the tribe of Odinga, have been in the middle of the ethnic clashes.

But the opposition parliamentary group has been accusing the PNU of "procrastination and obvious time buying games" at the talks, which have been overseen by former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

The statement was drafted Friday when government negotiators failed to show up for negotiations, which the opposition said were being boycotted. Government negotiators arrived late, however, and talks were being held.

The lawmakers from the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) also raised the issue of "self-determination" but didn't elaborate. Many of the ODM supporters live in the western region of Kenya.

"If there is any community in Kenya unwilling to co-exist with other Kenyans in a manner that reflects the popular will of Kenyans; then that community is at liberty to exercise the principle of self-determination as is well-enunciated in the U.N. Charter and other international legal instruments," the statement

[50cents]

In addition to ODM's plan B and C, their plan D must also be seen to be inclusive of all the stakeholders (that includes the Annan team)involved without showing their adversary the type of card they are holding.

PNU must also take responsibility of their actions.

[politicalmaniac]

A window dressed PMs post is nonsense.
Condi demanded actual POWER AND AUTHORITY be vested in that office.

PNU has the ball. Let em fumble it if they want to.
I think they now have a sense of just how high the stakes are. It seems folks are itching for civil disobedience and mass action. I know that PNU has the security apparatus they can hammer ODMers with in the name of keeping peace. But we shall just be returning to square one!
Na Bado!

[adongo23456]

This PNU folks are really vexing. I don't know why the ODM is putting up with this. What is happening now is a replica of the Naivasha Accord.

In that deal the then LDP and NAK brokered a deal based on a consensus between the two sides. The deal wasn't great. I personally didn't like it, but it wasn't bad either. They had the PM's job very close to what they have in this deal. The PM wasn't going to be the head of government but they had the words "supervise and coordinate" ministries. Everybody knows what that means and I bet you that is the problem for PNU who want to have absolute control of their ministries so they can hide things and do their Anglo leasing deals without oversight from a PM who may expose them.

Anyway what happened with the Naivasha Accord is that the deal was agreed on and Kiraitu, remember him, took it to Kibaki where they combed it through the lens of State House chauvinists who wanted absolute power. Kibaki rejected the deal and killed it. They went for the whole thing instead through the Wako Draft. We all know what happened. They wanted everything and ended up losing everything. It was a blunder. I was thrilled when I learned Kibaki had rejected the Naivasha Accord because I knew they wouldn't get anything even closer to that again.

That is what has happened here. The deal brokered by Annan on item # 3 was taken to Kibaki. They combed it with the same lens they use over there and they freaked out. Now it seems they are looking for ways to scuttle even what they themselves agreed on. Like I said it must be that "supervising" of the cabinet that must be killing them. Kimunya does not want to imagine that Raila or whoever is the PM will be his direct boss and will have access to the transactions going on there. Saitoti cannot imagine that some ODM sponsored PM will want to know the details of what is going on in the ministry of internal affairs.

Once again Kibaki is in the same spot. Give up something and move on or try to take it all. He will get his answer in a matter of weeks.

The ODM move is fine. They are ready for action by Wednesday. They better not be intimidated to keep switching back and forth. People are itching to come out and show this PNU folks that they are sick and tired of the PNU power games. People want to go on with their lives but they see this thing hanging over them everyday. I think they are going to say, let's get it over with once and for all.

Annan gave them 24 hours yesterday and Kibaki chose to meet the mediators at the same time they were supposed to be at the mediation as if he didn't have a whole day to talk to them. Tik Tok is on.

adongo.

[JAHAATWACH]

Could it be possible that this boardroom, this hata-mkia-ni-nyama negotiations could have been done with " yesterday" were it not for Ford-Kenya and Kalonzo Musyoka who have an MOU with KIbaki and therefore stand to lose much?

Could it be possible that the obstructionists want to drive ODM to a point of desperation knowing too well that ODM's lever (peaceful mass action)is against its(ODM)pledge and commitment to Annan?

Could it be possible that ODM and its support base are overrating the government side; that Kibaki,Kalonzo and their supporters are as confused, desperate and fearful?

And while on that,here are some familiar lines from Kibaki's supporters in Jukwaa which may help us unravell the mindset of the government side:


Re: Kofi Annan - statement - reads like ODM manife
« Reply #37 on Feb 17, 2008, 9:14am »

Kibaki is CONVINCED that he won the election, so you are not going to find him ceding power soon enough in the manner suggested. Raila appears to want to settle for CRUMBS but would still want to push his luck at being an executive prime minister.

But it those who understand the modus operandi of Raila that understand where the man is coming from. Raila will ultimately settle for leader of opposition, get a new constitution and claim legitimacy at the next election that he is not a perennial loser, but was 'rigged' out in 2007 come the next election. How he will manage his constituency of Luo supporters is the story of another thread

-kamalet
jukwaa.proboards58.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=general&thread=1203096196&page=2


Re: KOFI MUST MEET RAILA, KIBAKI -NOT THEIR HARDLINERS
« Reply #34 on Feb 20, 2008, 6:27pm »

ODM lacks the legitimacy and the moral right to demand a re-election or Kibaki's resignation and that is why they are seeking to be co-opted into government. Raila will not become executive prime minister and you'll be surprised when Kenya moves on. As someone else put it,

"In desperation, they are now ready to cooperate with Kibaki(there will be no powerful Prime Ministership for Raila), after the PNU made it clear to Condi Rice that they will not be pushed around to handover effective power to the ODM, no matter what. ODM has now decided to accept half a loaf instead of none. Is this the epitome of truly astute politicians?

A question to the ODMers, ever since the General Election, how many of Raila's and the Pentagon's unequivocal demands have been met by Kibaki? Answer: None. Raila has steadily caved in on each and every one of them and is about to come full circle to PRECISELY where he was in early 2003. What was the concerted effort since that time all about then, given the gridlock, the polarisation, the carnage and ultimately, the waste?"

-Dubois
jukwaa.proboards58.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=general&thread=1203393197&page=2

[politicalmaniac]

Yeaaaaa!

Na Bado!

Its very frustrating, the lack of humility, the political tone deafness, the utter disregard of equity, the obstinacy, that PNU shows.

It seems like they have taken to heart the words of the ex-NRA chairman, Charlton Heston, "They will have to remove it (gun) from my cold dead hands"

ODM needs to pay attention to the words of the great abolitionist, Fredrick Douglas, who famously wrote and strenuously insisted "Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did, and it never will.”

ODMers need to take that lesson to heart.

[adongo23456]

JAHAATWACH


I think the problem is when they made the deal on this one vexing item, they thought the deal was based on "hata-mkia-ni-nyama" kind of principle. Then they checked it again and realized there was too much nyama on the mkia so to speak. Now someone wants to wean off some of that nyama before they can hand over the bones to the ODM hounds whom they suppose will take anything. Like I said a PM who will supervise and coordinate cabinet activities is a defacto executive PM in all but name.

The only big problem there, for me at least, is that the cabinet is still answerable only to the president. That was my quarrel with the deal because it creates a situation where you supervise someone whom you cannot discipline and the person you report them to for any breaches of duty is for the most part their godfather. That is what I didn't like, but the deal as is gives the PM some very serious duties and responsibilities. PNU folks have checked that and are trying to back track.

As to the mass action, that commitment only stands as long as the talks are still going on. If item # 3 collapses the talks are off and Annan will be gone. He has made it very clear that he will finish that item before doing anything else.

But I agree that the ODM should understand everything is on their side even the usual PNU media types are raving mad at PNU. They should NOT settle for peanuts unless they know something we do not know. Majority of Kenyans are with them and will support them if this thing goes overtime or even penalty shootout.

adongo

[mzee]

adongo23456 said:

JAHAATWACH


I think the problem is when they made the deal on this one vexing item, they thought the deal was based on "hata-mkia-ni-nyama" kind of principle. Then they checked it again and realized there was too much nyama on the mkia so to speak. Now someone wants to wean off some of that nyama before they can hand over the bones to the ODM hounds whom they suppose will take anything. Like I said a PM who will supervise and coordinate cabinet activities is a defacto executive PM in all but name.

The only big problem there, for me at least, is that the cabinet is still answerable only to the president. That was my quarrel with the deal because it creates a situation where you supervise someone whom you cannot discipline and the person you report them to for any breaches of duty is for the most part their godfather. That is what I didn't like, but the deal as is gives the PM some very serious duties and responsibilities. PNU folks have checked that and are trying to back track.

As to the mass action, that commitment only stands as long as the talks are still going on. If item # 3 collapses the talks are off and Annan will be gone. He has made it very clear that he will finish that item before doing anything else.

But I agree that the ODM should understand everything is on their side even the usual PNU media types are raving mad at PNU. They should NOT settle for peanuts unless they know something we do not know. Majority of Kenyans are with them and will support them if this thing goes overtime or even penalty shootout.

adongo

AQ,
What deal are you talking about?
I thought there was no deal and mediation is still on.
Are you not jumping the gun here?

[adongo23456]

Mzee1

This is what they agreed on yesterday.

politics.nationmedia.com/vids.asp?v=yS7hz6TdJtQ

I suspect the proposals had to be approved by both party leaders. It is not the greatest deal as proposed, in fact I have many issues with it but it is okay and may be with some goodwill it can work. But my worry was that the proposed deal could lead to a lot of internal problems and insurbodination. Like I said we will wait and see what the final script is then we can deal with it.

[politicalmaniac]

PNU took Friday off.
They have untill Wednesday to ratify ODMs proposals or face protests. From what I gather, ODM is not backing down on the executive portion of power sharing. So PNU is wracking its collective brains trying to determine just how much, and which powers the sloth, gen kegs will cede.

Granted they have the machinery to really wreak havoc on ODM protesters.

But that will just ensure we go back to square one, more desolation, suffering, death, economic slow down etc.

Time is running out for them.
Their obstructionist stand and legal mambo jambo's crafted to obfuscate the issues wont be tolerated for long.

Everyone knows they stole the election.
They have to decide HOW MUCH POWER THEY NEED TO CONCEDE in the interim before the next election, or the country begins to fall apart.

The choice is theirs.
A poisoned chalice.
I am glad I aint the one sippin'

[JAHAATWACH]

According to KTN Prime News


After more than 8 hours of exhausting deliberations, it is now emerging that the Party of National Unity and the Orange Democratic Movement have in principle agreed to form a coalition government. The feuding sides have also agreed to share on a 50-50 basis the cabinet positions as well as public service appointments.

Sources say PNU and ODM have also made progress in putting in place tough terms that include going to a fresh general election in the event that the coalition collapses.

ODM is said to have proposed that the coalition terms be entrenched in the constitution, but the PNU side asked for time to consult.

These were some of the developments in a day that saw the talks suffer an initial scare after the government side delayed for hours before turning up at the venue this morning.

www.ktnkenya.tv/mod.php?topic=19&style=news&ud=0

[pippyza]

Kibaki is doing everything to derail the talks. Even the guy who went to the courts to sue the Annan led team is most likely a PNU messanger

[adongo23456]

Jahat

Thanks for the update. Boy those talks are tough. I am sure glad we have a lawyer of Orengo's calibre there. The drama never ends. It will soon, one way or the other.

pippyza

We saw this coming. In fact as soon as a deal is officially in the books they are going to file furious court cases citing the Njoya ruling that was made by none other than Justice Ringera and another Justice with a dissenting opinion from a third Justice.

I can assure the cases are already aligned, but I have a feeling the mountain is too steep for them this time around.

Oh dear, when and where will this end? We are approaching the 60th day anniversary of the coup already. They didn't see this coming, did they?

[JAHAATWACH]

Meanwhile some joker has gone to ourt seeking to share Langata seat with Raila ati because Raila would be sharing power with Kibaki.


Mediation group’s legality challenged in court
By SATURDAY NATION Correspondent
Last updated: 1 hour ago

A parliamentary loser has moved to court to challenge the constitutionality of the mediation team.

Mr Antony Ndung’u Kirori wants the High Court to issue an order restraining all the negotiators from adopting any resolution by the Kofi Annan team which is likely to alter the governance structure of Kenya in violation of the Constitution. Also sought by Mr Kirori is an order directing that his case be heard and determined within a period not exceeding 21 days.

In the suit filed under a certificate of urgency, Mr Kirori has listed negotiators Musalia Mudavadi, William Ruto, Sally Kosgei, Caroli Omondi, Martha Karua, Mutula Kilonzo, Moses Wetangula, Sam Ongeri, Gichira Kibaara and Raila Odinga as respondents. Also being sued are Police Commissioner Major Gen Mohammed Ali and Attorney-General Amos Wako.

Mr Kirori said the negotiators are engaged in an unconstitutional “boardroom” exercise referred to as “mediation process” to discuss and determine what is, in effect, an electoral dispute between ODM and PNU. This, according to him can only be done by a court of law which is vested with powers under section 10 and 44 of the Constitution.

;DHe says he vied for the Lang’ata constituency seat against Mr Odinga and lost it. He argues that he should also be permitted to share power with Mr Odinga as MP for Lang’ata.Reason? He believes that if Mr Odinga who lost the presidential race to President Kibaki is allowed to share power, then it would only be fair for him to also be accommodated as he represents those who voted for him in Lang’ata constituency. ;D

Secondly, Mr Kirori says Mr Odinga and ODM Members of Parliament ought to have refused to turn up for the swearing in ceremony in Parliament if they did not believe or accept that President Kibaki, who convened the opening of Parliament, was not legally in office.

He noted that all the MPs from all parties attended and participated in the election of Speaker and Deputy Speaker. And since they agreed to participate in the affairs of the House, they accept that President Kibaki was legally elected, he said.

He accused ODM of giving the impression that the country is ungovernable and on the brink of civil war. This, Mr Kirori said, was a calculated intention to invite foreign entities to oversee the current mediation process in an unconstitutional manner.

politics.nationmedia.com/inner.asp?pcat=NEWS&cat=TOP&sid=1523

[politicalmaniac]

He he he
PNU wants to consult over constitutional amendments to accomodate the power sharing. These guys never cease to amaze.
They think MoUs signed in Serena will suffice?

Also
I personally do not see the Judiciary pulling a Njoya over these amendments since we are talking "amendments" NOT adoptions of whole constitutions.

[adongo23456]

PM

PNU is in chit, like my friend Whispers (RIP) would say. There seems to be a dichotomy between the PNU negotiators and the PNU Kibaki support team.

At the negotiating table the PNU team are making progress, we should give them credit for that. But as soon as they make these deals and proposals, Kibaki calls them back and then we hear totally different directions being proposed. It is annoying to everybody including even the Kibaki friendly media.

On the ODM side, the M.Ps and members are getting more active and demanding clear and immediate answers. They are under pressure too. They can do the diplomatic thing when they are eyeball to eyeball with Annan, but when they come down to face their supporters they are being told not to sell the ODM voters and the national dream for token "positions".

I think the lines have been drawn. Both sides know they need a credible package to put the country back on track. Are they capable of pulling it off under the current circumstances? That is the big question.

The prospects look good for democracy and peace. I am very optimistic that whichever route Kenyans have to go the masses of our people will be winners. It is a reality both sides have to deal with.

Unfortunately for the PNU, the momentum is with ODM and we know why. PNU has their job cut out for them. The world and the nation is isolating them by the second. If they don't change their agenda, they may soon have to choose which political graveyard they are comfortable with. That is not a choice anybody wants and it is one I hope nobody ever has to face.

adongo

[politicalmaniac]

You are right on the money AO.
Its obvious what needs to happen and ODM should not accept tokenism for the sake of a temporary 'lull' AKA 'peace'.

Despite my vacillation between optimism that PNU will do the right thing, and frustration bellying what they are actually doing/saying, in the end ODM will come down on the right side of the divide, the side of Justice where most are.

[mzee]

www.africasia.com/services/news/newsitem.php?area=africa&item=080222205414.w6mux8k9.php



'I won' Kenya presidential election says defiant Odinga

Opposition leader Raila Odinga insisted Friday he was Kenya's rightful leader and refused to rule out further mass protests against President Mwai Kibaki.

"I'm the one who won elections," insisted the defiant 63-year-old head of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM).

Although he claims Kibaki robbed him of victory by rigging the December 27 presidential ballot, Odinga told AFP while on a visit to the Nigerian capital he was "ready to cooperate" with the president nonetheless.

"The ball is in Kibaki's court," said Odinga, who will return to Kenya on Saturday. "It depends on how far he is ready to go," he added.

Despite a police ban the ODM has threatened to resume protests next week if talks fail to clinch a deal by Wednesday, and Odinga told AFP that threat was "still valid."

Attempts to hold protests last month ended in a bloody police crackdown across the east African nation. Asked about the prospect of further violence Odinga said, "I hope we can avoid it."

Kenya descended into crisis when Kibaki, 76, was declared the winner of the disputed presidential vote, which Odinga maintains was rigged.

Rioting swiftly turned into tribal fighting and claimed at least 1,000 lives and displaced hundreds of thousands, mainly in the capital's slums and in western Kenya.

[JAHAATWACH]

Rice calls for 'real not pretended' power-sharing in Kenya
23 Feb 2008, 0711 hrs IST,AFP

WASHINGTON: Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Friday called for a "real not pretended" power-sharing deal in Kenya, in apparent criticism of President Mwai Kibaki.

"I think there is nothing that is unbridgeable between these two sides," she told a press conference, referring to Kibaki and opposition leader Raila Odinga, who are in talks over creating a new post of prime minister.

"Everybody, I believe, thinks that there is a solution if there is enough political will to take it," said Rice, who was sent on Monday to Kenya by US President George W Bush to support mediation talks lead by former United Nations chief Kofi Annan.

"But it's going to require real power-sharing, not pretend power-sharing," Rice said of the deal underway in Kenya. "It's going to require compromise on both sides."

Kenya has been mired in one of its worst, post-1964-independence crises since Kibaki's contested December 27 re-election. More than 1,000 people have died in political and ethnic violence and 30,000 have been displaced. A relative calm has prevailed the past 10 days.

Both sides have tentatively agreed to create the post of a prime minister, but are bogged down on the exact details. Odinga's opposition Orange Democratic Movement insists on a powerful premier while the government has offered a non-executive office.

Source: Times of India
timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/msid-2806751,prtpage-1.cms

[mzee]

JAHAATWACH, thanks


"But it's going to require real power-sharing, not pretend power-sharing," Rice said of the deal underway in Kenya. "It's going to require compromise on both sides." Condi Rice.


Seems that everyone is seeing through PANU tricks.

Sweden also announced its withholding economic aid to the Kenyan government until further real reforms are put in place.

ODM can as a matter of fact sit back and watch PANU prepare the rope and hang itself.