PNU hardliners still wants to derail the talks

Kibaki's meeting with PNU team delays talks

By MUCHEMI WACHIRA Last updated: 1 hour ago

President Kibaki's meeting with PNU negotiators has resulted in a delay of today's peace talks. The ODM side and Annan's team were kept waiting for their government counterparts for close to four hours.

The opposition negotiators then left Serena Hotel, the venue of the meeting, and only came back after the PNU side arrived at the hotel. The talks resumed after midday. The President also met Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka and a team he had appointed to spearhead peace and reconciliation efforts in the country. The team includes: Attorney General Amos Wako, Finance minister Amos Kimunya, Justice and Constitutional Affairs minister Martha Karua, Transport's Chirau Ali Mwakwere, Moses Wetangula (Foreign Affairs), Uhuru Kenyatta (Local Government) and George Saitoti (Internal Security). Mr Ludeki Chweya and Geoffrey Kibaara had been appointed joint secretaries of the team which is yet to start work.

The meeting, sources said, centred on the progress of the Annan talks especially on proposals for the creation of a prime minister's position, its functions and powers. ODM and PNU negotiators have since agreed on principle to create a prime minister's position, two deputy prime ministers and inclusion of ODM members in Cabinet.

And at Thursday's meeting, sources said, the ministers insisted that the prime minister's position should be non-executive and that no powers should be transferred from the presidency. The leaders maintained that having been sworn in, the President should enjoy the powers bestowed on him by constitution for five years. They urged PNU negotiators, Ms Karua, Mbooni MP Mutula Kilonzo, Education minister Sam Ongeri and Mr Wetangula to be firm at the talks and ensure PNU interests carried the day. The negotiating team suspended Thursday's session at 11 am allow time to consult on the draft joint proposal.

The Legal Working Group -a sub-committee established on Tuesday to transform the political deals struck during earlier sessions in legal terms acceptable to both sides- was to meet from 8.30 am to conclude their work before reporting to the full negotiating team from 10 am. The sessions were however delayed as the working group started meeting at 12 pm.
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