Kenyan FM Says Forcing Political Deal Would Be a Mistake

By VOA News
17 February 2008

Kenya's foreign minister says only Kenyans can resolve the country's political crisis, and any attempt to impose a deal would be a mistake.


Kenya's Foreign Minister Moses Wetangula (file photo)
Foreign Minister Moses Wetangula spoke to reporters Sunday, a day before U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was set to arrive in Kenya to support mediation efforts.

Wetangula said friends of Kenya should support the country but not press for any particular solution.

On Saturday, President Bush said Rice would deliver the message that the U.S. wants no further violence in Kenya and supports a power-sharing deal between the government and the opposition.

Mr. Bush said today he does not want to dictate how to bring an end to Kenya's political violence, but wants to help push along the mediation effort, led by former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

Mr. Annan has said the parties are close to a deal but acknowledged they remain split over how the proposed power-sharing would work.

Negotiators representing President Mwai Kibaki and opposition leader Raila Odinga are set to resume talks Monday.

The opposition accuses President Kibaki of rigging the December 27 presidential election to stay in power. International observers have said the vote-counting process was deeply flawed.

Weeks of riots and ethnic violence after the election killed more than a thousand people. The United Nations estimated another 600,000 were displaced from their homes.