Kenya: Feuding parties’ talks adjourned to Monday

(SomaliNet) In what dashes chief mediator Kofi Annan`s hopes to have a final political settlement this week to the post-election crisis, Kenya`s feuding political parties adjourned talks for the weekend yesterday.

But a spokesman for Annan indicated some progress had been made, saying the former U.N. boss would give details today of an agreement signed by both sides.

Annan has led efforts to end turmoil triggered by President Mwai Kibaki`s disputed Dec. 27 re-election that has killed at least 1,000 people and uprooted 300,000 more, shattering the east African nation?s peaceful image.

“He will speak to the press at 5 p.m. (1400 GMT) on Friday (today) to outline what was agreed in 48 hours of discussions,” said Annan`s spokesman Nasser Ega-Musa of this week`s negotiations at a luxury resort in a remote safari park.

“Mr Annan will make available the text of the agreement signed today between the parties. The talks will resume on Monday morning in Nairobi.”

Opposition leader Raila Odinga accuses Kibaki`s team of rigging the vote, while Kibaki says he won fairly.

Both sides have agreed in principle to some form of power-sharing and have been focusing on the details in private.

A source from one party, who asked not to be identified, said the talks had ended in acrimony and the negotiators were flying back to the city to consult their bosses.

“Optimism is not the same as reality, but we are making progress,” Justice Minister Martha Karua, the top government negotiator, said on her return to Nairobi, where reporters asked her why a final deal was still elusive.

The two parties are also expected to set up a South African-style truth, justice and reconciliation commission to investigate abuses including ethnic attacks and killings of protesters by police.

Yesterday the government-funded Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) said ringleaders should not be forgiven.

“The worst perpetrators and planners of the types of violations that have taken place over the recent weeks must never be exempted,`` KNCHR commissioner Hassan Omar Hassan told a news conference. ``To do so would be a travesty of justice.”

The group?s call added to international pressure for the perpetrators of violence to be held accountable.

Various Western nations have threatened travel bans or freezing of assets against guilty parties, and have also said that anyone derailing the Annan talks will face “consequences”.

The post-election turmoil has shocked locals, neighbouring states and world powers alike, crippling Kenya`s tourism industry and denting one of Africa’s most promising economies.

Kenya?s foreign minister lashed out at Britain’s high commissioner yesterday after the envoy said on local TV the government did not reflect the democratic will of the people.

Moses Wetangula said Adam Wood’s comments had shown ``total disregard`` for diplomatic etiquette, and he threatened to take unspecified action if the incident was repeated.

A spokeswoman at the British High Commission in Nairobi said Wood was only reiterating the British government`s position.

Hassan said any truth commission must study past crimes, including grand corruption and bad governance. He accused authorities of ignoring signs of growing inter-ethnic tensions.

“We have lived in collective denial that there were serious structural fault lines in Kenya`s make-up,” he said.

“This facade of national unity has regrettably been laid bare, resulting in gross violations of human rights.”-Guardian