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Deadlock Deepens in Kenya Power-Sharing Deal
Following a meeting of lawmakers from the opposition Orange Democratic Movement, party Secretary-General Anyang Nyong'o read a statement announcing that talks on establishing a coalition cabinet have been suspended until the president's Party of National Unity commits to sharing power equally in the government. "It is now crystal clear to the country that PNU is extremely reluctant to honor the accord in the first place," said Nyong'o. "In fact by his utterances and deeds since the signing of the accord, President Mwai Kibaki has demonstrated his contempt for and reluctance to forming a grand coalition government as the constitution demands and the people of Kenya expect him to do."Opposition leader Raila Odinga, who is set to take up the newly created position of prime minister, Monday accused the president's party of backtracking on commitments regarding the composition of the Cabinet and the extent of power-sharing in government positions below the ministerial level. The statement also called for the Cabinet ministers who had been appointed before the agreement was signed to step down, and for a reduction in the size of the cabinet from the 40 ministers that had earlier been agreed. The large Cabinet size has been widely criticized in Kenya as a waste of resources. Posted by: Fred 2008-04-09 |
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