NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 3 – The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has accused its coalition partners, the Party of National Unity (PNU), of not honouring a power-sharing deal brokered by chief mediator Kofi Annan.
ODM Secretary General Anyang’ Nyong’o on Tuesday said that they would be writing to Mr Annan to demand a renegotiation of the National Accord signed by President Mwai Kibaki and Prime Minter Raila Odinga in February 2008, to end violence that rocked the country shortly after disputed presidential elections.
The chaos left more than 1,000 people dead and another 350,000 internally displaced.
“The coalition government has fallen short of implementing the Accord, thereby short-changing our party in appointments to the civil service, public corporations and security services, and undermining power sharing in several respects,” Mr Nyong’o stated after an ODM National Executive Council (NEC) meeting chaired by the party leader PM Odinga.
The signing of the Accord saw the creation of the post of Prime Minister, with the holder having the authority to co-ordinate and supervise the execution of government functions.
Two Deputy Prime Ministers were also appointed with each member of the coalition nominating one. ODM chose Local Government Minister Musalia Mudavadi while PNU settled on the current Finance Minister Uhuru Kenyatta.
It stated that the composition of the coalition government would at all times take into account the principle of portfolio balance, and reflect the parties’ relative parliamentary strengths, something ODM said is not happening one year since the formation of the government.
According to the document, the coalition can only be dissolved if the current Parliament is dissolved, if the parties agree in writing, or if one coalition partner withdraws from the coalition.
The ODM NEC meeting also resolved to fully support the recommendations of United Nations Special Rapporteur on extra judicial killings.
“We support the recommendation that Attorney General Amos Wako and Police Commissioner Major General Hussein Ali resign to allow for the necessary reforms in the Judiciary and Police force,” Mr Nyong’o said.
About The Author
