Much touted meeting between Raila and Kibaki Fails

Consultations on new cabinet still onWritten By:Collins Anampiu , Posted: Tue, Apr 01, 2008
The wait is still on for a new grand coalition cabinet as the two principals continue to consult.
On Tuesday there was little activity at the president's office at Harambee house with the expected meeting between the President and Prime minister designate Raila Odinga failing to take place.
Following Monday's cabinet meeting chaired by president Kibaki, expectations were high that the president would Tuesday meet the prime Minster designate to iron out issues in anticipation of naming the new coalition cabinet.
However the meeting did not take place, with sources indicating that the ODM leader was consulting with his party members at Pentagon House.
Apart from stemming the rising anxiety on the naming of the new cabinet, the two principals are also running out of time as parliament reopens on April 15 with most of the business pending as questions have been deferred in the house due to lack of ministers in various dockets.
The issue of portfolio balance as stipulated in the National Accord and Reconciliation Act as well as the size of the cabinet have so far been the outstanding issues that the two principals are yet to agree on.
Meanwhile a section of section of civil societies Tuesday took to the streets to demonstrate against the delay in naming of the new cabinet.
Led by the Kenya National Human Rights Commission chairman Maina Kiai and Nobel Laureate professor Wangari Mathai, the group called on both President Mwai Kibaki and ODM leader Raila Odinga to settle for a lean cabinet of at least 24 members.
Efforts by the group to serve the two principals with their petition were thwarted by security officers who dispersed them terming the procession illegal.

http://www.kbc.co.ke/story.asp?ID=49150