Rice backs power sharing in Kenya crisis
By ANTHONY KARIUKI Last updated: 8 minutes ago
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has said Kenya feuding parties should share power so as to end the post-election crisis.
She was sent to the country by President Bush, who is on a five-nation Africa tour, to help push the Kofi Annan-led mediation process forward.
Rice said that the two parties should share real power and that both sides should have authority that matters.
“There needs to be a governance arrangement that will allow real power-sharing ... a grand coalition so that Kenyans can be governed," she told reporters at US Ambassador Michael Rannenberger’s residence.
She said the US was ready to offer its help in reconstruction of the country and that Kenya stood to gain with the resolution of the crisis.
"There is a lot to be gained in a relationship with the United States through resolution of this political crisis."
Secretary Rice warned that it will not be business as usual with Kenya if the crisis is not resolved quickly. She added that a political solution was needed fast.
Rice said that the international community was not dictating to the government, but was backing Annan’s effort to broker a deal.
ODM leader Raila Odinga says he won the December poll but was denied victory through rigging, while President Kibaki says he won fairly and points to the announcement by the Electoral Commission of Kenya.
The post election violence, which triggered protests, has killed 1,000 people and displaced 300, 000 others.
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