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Panel to report to AU on
progress of talks
(Ed. Note: Are we going to see them now only travelling all
over the place? Don't they have e-mail and internet conference
possibilities for the little progress they have to report? Waste
of taxpayers money is imminent again!)
Published on March 12, 2008, 12:00 am
By Abiya Ochola
The mediation panel leaves for Addis Ababa today to table a report
to the African Union (AU) on the progress of the reconciliation
talks.
The panel will also brief the AU on the implementation of the
power sharing deal signed between President Kibaki and ODM leader,
Mr Raila Odinga.
The talks were postponed until tomorrow during a session where
sentiments attributed to Head of Civil Service, Ambassador Francis
Muthaura, on proposed government structures and portfolio,
featured prominently.
"Sensitivity over what appeared in the media attributed to
Muthaura featured prominently, though not as a formal agenda.
Members said they were uncomfortable with the sentiments," a
source privy to the talks said.
It was not clear if the debate on Muthaura’s sentiments would make
part of Session chair, Prof Oluyemi Adeniji’s report to be tabled
in Addis Ababa.
But Government members at the talks defended Muthaura saying what
he said reflected the law as it is at the moment.
Adeniji, who took over from former UN Secretary-General, Dr Kofi
Annan, will lead the team to Addis.
This is the first time that the mediators, under the banner of
Panel of Eminent African Personalities, will be making a direct
report to the AU on the progress of the talks aimed at resolving
the post-election crisis that left more than 1000 people dead and
nearly 500,000 displaced.
"Adeniji is expected to brief the AU on the ground already covered
by the talks and to what extent he feels the deal is being
implemented. It is important that as the initiator, the AU must be
fully briefed on the goings-on in Kenya," said the source.
Kenya’s mediation talks are a creation of the AU having been
established in mid-January by the then AU chairman and Ghanaian
President, Mr John Kuffuor.
A deal was signed on February 4 where Kibaki and Raila agreed to
create the position of PM in a power sharing set-up to end
post-election crisis occasioned by disputed presidential election
results.
The team, for the first time, discussed budgetary allocations to
the panel.
"Members wanted to know how much money had come from the
Government and donors so that the team could be accountable to the
people," said the source.
The mediation teams also agreed to suspend the sittings to allow
members, who are MPs, attend parliamentary sessions.
"This is to allow the MPs to shed light to members of the House on
the crucial Bills emanating from the talks and their import to the
stability of the nation. It will also give the MPs room to visit
their constituencies," said the source.
Cabinet ministers, Ms Martha Karua, Mr Moses Wetangula and Prof
Sam Ongeri and Mbooni MP, Mr Mutula Kilonzo represented PNU. ODM
Pentagon members Mr Musalia Mudavadi and Mr William Ruto, Mr James
Orengo and Dr Sally Kosgei represented the party as the teams
discussed Agenda Four.
Items under this agenda are long-term land reforms, electoral,
financial and judicial reforms, which included the formation of an
Independent Review Committee and a Truth, Justice and
Reconciliation Commission.
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