Smiles and handshakes as rivals meet – but it doesn't last

Published on Thursday 24 January 2008 21:00

KENYA'S main political rivals met yesterday for the first time since the disputed presidential election, and pledged to seek an end to weeks of unrest that have killed almost 700 people.

But the opposition said President Mwai Kibaki's statement that he was the country's "duly elected" leader had undermined all mediation efforts.

Kofi Annan, the former United Nations secretary-general, brokered the meeting between Mr Kibaki and his rival, Raila Odinga.

Mr Annan said "fair steps" towards a peaceful solution had been made during the closed-door discussions and hundreds of onlookers cheered as both men shook hands and smiled at each other before vowing to resolve the crisis.

But Mr Kibaki's phrase, "As I pointed out after being sworn in as your duly elected president of Kenya…" prompted an angry response from Mr Odinga's Orange Democratic Movement (ODM).

Anyang' Nyong'o, the party's secretary-general, told a news conference two hours later: "It is now absolutely clear Mr Kibaki has no intention whatsoever of embarking on this journey with the people of Kenya.

"His demeaning and unacceptable behaviour was clearly meant to undermine the mediation effort and to prolong the suffering of the people of Kenya."

His criticism dampened hopes raised by the meeting, which had long been demanded by western powers and millions of anxious Kenyans horrified by their country's slide into chaos.

Mr Annan had previously persuaded the ODM to call off protests planned for yesterday after earlier rallies turned violent.

The crisis, which has split Kenya down tribal and political lines, followed Mr Kibaki's narrow and contested victory in the election – the closest in the country's history, and one that was rife with vote-rigging.

Hundreds have died and 250,000 forced to flee their homes in a combination of politically incited ethnic killings and police action to quell protests that frequently degenerated into rioting and looting.

In Mr Odinga's western stronghold of Kisumu yesterday, youths burned tyres, saying they were angry their leader had been caught in police tear-gas at a memorial service for some of the dead on Wednesday. Four people were killed in the Rift Valley towns of Molo and Nakuru.

Human Rights Watch said it had evidence from the area that ODM politicians and local leaders had "actively fomented some post-election violence". It said: "Opposition leaders are right to challenge Kenya's rigged poll, but they can't use it as an excuse for targeting ethnic groups."