Kenya party warns of threat to power-sharing and peace

By Andrew Cawthorne

NAIROBI (Reuters) - Kenya's former opposition party said on Thursday any attempt to undermine its power-sharing accord with President Mwai Kibaki could provoke more turmoil in the east African country.

The Orange Democratic Movement, the largest party in parliament, was responding to comments by the civil service head implying ODM would take second rank in the new administration.

After weeks of mediation by former U.N. boss Kofi Annan and pressure from around the world, Kibaki and ODM leader Raila Odinga signed a deal last month to end the crisis over a disputed December election that killed more than 1,000 people.

But the agreement is yet to be ratified by parliament and details such as the powers of a new prime minister's post likely to go to Odinga, division of cabinet jobs, and the makeup of the civil service, are proving contentious.

ODM Secretary-General Anyang' Nyong'o said anyone trying to undermine the principle of 50-50 power-sharing, which the two leaders agreed to, would endanger the fragile peace in Kenya.

"Any attempt by anybody to ridicule this noble initiative by introducing a hierarchy of relationship between the two parties or the two leaders goes contrary to the spirit and letter of the Grand Coalition and risks causing unnecessary political discomfort," Nyong'o told a news conference.

"The people of Kenya have pinned their hopes for the restoration of peace in our country on the success of the accord and the smooth working of the Grand Coalition. This includes implementing the 50 percent share in the whole government."

ARMED GANGS

Earlier this week, the head of the public service, Francis Muthaura, upset ODM by saying Kibaki retained power to appoint the new prime minister.

Muthaura also implied the premier's post would be third in rank after the vice-president. And he said the accord "does not include sharing of jobs in the public service".

Asked whether such comments could provoke more violence, Nyong'o said yes, and added that the statement had brought renewed calls for mass action from ODM supporters.

"We would not like people to be put under undue stress," he said. "We didn't do it because we love grand coalitions. When we go to the butcher's shop, it is not for the love of the cow that we buy meat. It's because there is a necessity to live."

At a news conference after ODM's, government spokesman Alfred Mutua defended Muthaura, saying he was simply setting out known facts to counter speculation in the Kenyan media as to how the power-sharing agreement would work out.

"What the government was doing was reminding people of the right road, putting a sign-post," he said.

ODM says Kibaki stole the December 27 vote through fraud, while the government accused the then opposition of deliberately stoking violence against government supporters.