Kenya: Raila Odinga’s ODM pulls out of cabinet talks

April 8, 2008 (Nairobi NSV) - Hopes on Kenya’s post-election progress were dampened on Tuesday as opposition leader Raila Odinga suspended its participation in the cabinet talks after it accused Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki of reneging on power sharing agreement reached last week.

The Orange Democratic Movement of Raila Odinga said talks would not be resumed until a 50-50 power sharing agreement was realised.

"This also means that executive power and authority must be shared between the Prime Minister and the President," read a press release, signed by Prof Anyang’ Nyong’o, the party secretary-general,.

Meanwhile, the Party of National Unity, Kibaki’s party, said it was ready for fresh elections if the cabinet talks failed.

Following the opposition’s withdrawal, the Kenya media reported that there have been pockets of violence in Nairobi’s biggest slum, Kibera.

“Protests and violence erupted in Nairobi’s Kibera slums, as youths blocked roads, stoned motorists and forced schools to close early as they engaged police in running battles,” said a report by The Nation.

On December 27, 2007, Kenya voted in what many observers touted as “peaceful.” The nation was thrown into violence after the Kenya’s electoral commission announced Kibaki winner of the disputed elections, which the opposition and many observers said it was rigged. Official figures say the violence killed 1000 people.