Difficult tasks await Kenyan MPs

By Karen Allen BBC News, Nairobi
It had all the pageantry and trappings of a state ceremony.
The national anthem, the guard of honour, the ceremonial dress - but this was a unique opening of parliament.
Kenya's lawmakers are under the spotlight in a way never seen before.
Kenyans still stunned by post-election violence are vesting their trust in leaders in a country where in the recent past, they have been badly let down.
More than half of the members of parliament are newcomers and they will be expected to hit the ground running, to turn up to vote and pave the way for a historic coalition.
A coalition aimed at restoring unity to what the president described as "one Kenya".
Stumbling blocks
It was a week to the day that a power-sharing deal had been agreed between President Mwai Kibaki and opposition leader Raila Odinga.
They shook hands in the presence of the world's media, flanked by Kofi Annan and Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete.
The new parliament began with two minutes of silence
That was just the start of a process. In the coming weeks lawmakers will be expected to enact legislation that will amend the constitution and allow a grand coalition to be formed.
They then have to try to "sell" the idea of power sharing to their constituents, among them people who are now homeless or who have lost loved ones in the violence.
There are still potential stumbling blocks ahead - in particular, how power will be shared and how cabinet posts and other senior positions will be allocated.
But for Thursday's ceremony the tone was conciliatory and upbeat.
After a two minute silence - first for parliamentarians killed in post-election violence and then for "ordinary" Kenyans who lost their lives, President Kibaki rose to his feet.
In a 30-minute speech he stressed the need for last week's peace accord to be quickly enacted into law, but warned that it would require "goodwill, unity, good faith and integrity" of Kenya's lawmakers.
Awkward realities
This country is emerging from one of the darkest periods of its history and the coming weeks will be a real test of the commitment of all sides to a durable peace.
Kenyans will be forced to confront some awkward realities with the establishment of a truth, justice and reconciliation commission to investigate past injustices and violence blamed on supporters on all sides of the political fence.
They will also be forced to compromise.
There are concerns that a grand coalition will rob Kenyans of a real opposition.
This has effectively been a deal between two political blocks - those supporting President Kibaki's PNU and those backing Raila Odinga's ODM.
Earlier in the day, diplomats insisted the onus would be on the media to help keep the government in check.
But what is clear is that this could be the start of a new pragmatism in Kenyan politics. A chance for a new breed of politician to shine, putting aside a past where winner takes all.