April 16, 2008


A state of uncertainty had continued to grip Kenya for weeks as violence reigned in following disputed presidential election held on December 27, 2007 which the Electoral Commission of Kenya (ECK) chairman Samuel Kivuitu declared Mwai Kibaki the winner placing him ahead of Raila Odinga by about 200,000 votes in a hotly contested poll.

Hon. Odinga declined to concede defeat and accused Kibaki of fraud provoking violence in parts of the country. As violence escalated, thousands of people fled their homes to seek safety in makeshift camps in Nairobi, Eldoret, Naivasha, and other parts of the country.

The spates of violence shocked Kenyans and the world leaving more than 1,000 people dead and nearly 400, 000 people displaced from their homes.

This situation not only put the lives and property of Kenyans at risk but also put the country to near meltdown prompting intervention from the international community, with regional and international partners threatening to desist from conducting “business as usual “with Kenya. Locally, as the chaos escalated, top chief executive officers were warning of economic slump in the country.

Owing to the situation, a number of eminent Africans visited the country in an effort to prevail upon Hon. Mwai Kibaki and ODM leader Raila Odinga to put the interests of people of Kenya foremost.

Among those visiting were South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu, His Excellency John Kufour, African Union Chairman hitherto, who later named a Panel of Eminent Africans headed by former United Nations Secretary General Kofi Amman to help find a solution to the problem. Other members of his team included former South African First Lady Graca Machel and former Tanzanian president Benjamin Mkapa.

The United States of America Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Jendayi Frazer also visited our country with a recommendation that fundamental institutional reforms should be undertaken to resolve the problems.

Then came the US Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice-the highest-ranking US official to visit Kenya since December 27, who asked President Kibaki and ODM leader Raila Odinga to work towards a power sharing arrangement and building a new governance structure that will allow for “real power sharing”.

Numerous consultations ensued, culminating into an agreement. On February 28, 2008, President Mwai Kibaki and Hon Raila Odinga paved the way for a coalition government by signing the National Reconciliation Accord.

Consequently on Tuesday March 18, Members of Parliament amended the Constitution to create the posts of Prime Minister and two deputies and also passed the National Reconciliation Accord into law.

The two, Kibaki and Raila, promised to name a cabinet “soon” but could not do that after they failed to agree on balancing of ministerial portfolios amid widespread clamour from Kenyans for “a lean and clean” government.

Kenya’s tale has been a heartrending one much that when on Sunday April13, President Kibaki after consultations With Hon Raila Odinga ( at Sagana State Lodge) named an expanded 42-member Cabinet which saw Hon. Raila become the country’s second Prime Minister, it ended months of political anxiety and tension.