Annan launches Kenyan mediation, violence spreads

By Nick Tattersall

NAIROBI (Reuters) - Former U.N. chief Kofi Annan brought together Kenya's political rivals on Tuesday in a push to end a post-election crisis and deepening tribal bloodshed.

About a dozen people were killed in the east African country on Tuesday, bringing the toll to more than 850 since President Mwai Kibaki's disputed December 27 election triggered turmoil that has grown from riots into waves of ethnic revenge attacks.

Annan, bringing together Kibaki and opposition leader Raila Odinga to launch formal mediation, said he was confident the "immediate political issues" could be resolved within four weeks and the broader issues underlying the crisis within a year.

"To the leaders gathered here today I say that the people want you to take charge of the situation and do whatever possible to halt the downward spiral that is threatening this beautiful and prosperous country," Annan said.

The crisis has cost Kenya its reputation as a bastion of peace in a turbulent region and dented its previously flourishing economy, east Africa's largest.

"We stand here during a defining moment, when we must all make the decision that we must regain the dignity of our nation and restore the stability we have enjoyed since independence," Kibaki said.

Odinga, who says Kibaki stole the vote, said the most urgent issue was addressing "the deeply flawed results of the presidential elections".

"This mediation process must show our people that peace, justice and security are around the corner," he said, stressing that the talks were between his Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party and Kibaki's party, not his government.

Later, Kibaki, Odinga and Annan chatted cordially over a cup of tea while negotiating teams met behind closed doors. Kibaki and Odinga met last Thursday for the first time since the vote.

FLAMES

Their teams, a mix of both hardliners and moderates, were due to meet again on Wednesday and the stakes are high.

"If they do not come together, this country is going up in flames and I don't think either want to be judged by history as responsible," said Yusuf Hassan, a legislative candidate from a government-allied party whose election is due to be re-run.

Western donors have urged both sides -- who appear far apart -- to take the talks seriously or risk losing development aid.

"We are certainly asking everyone to maintain calm. It's deeply concerning," U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said in Washington. "The election was not one that inspired confidence in the Kenyan people and therefore there needs to be a political arrangement."

Post-election protests have degenerated into cycles of killing between tribes who have never reconciled divisions over land, wealth and power left by British colonial rule, stoked by politicians at election time over 44 years of independence.