Annan arrives to meet Museveni
RODNEY MUHUMUZA & AGENCIES
KAMPALA
FORMER UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, fresh from securing a power-sharing deal in Kenya, arrived in Uganda yesterday for a top-level meeting that will discuss Kenya. Mr Annan will "engage" President Museveni on the details of the political agreement reached in Kenya, Media Centre director Fred Opolot said yesterday.
Mr Annan told the world last Thursday that President Mwai Kibaki and opposition leader Raila Odinga had agreed to a deal that creates the post of prime minister for the Orange Democratic Movement chairman, who claims he won the popular vote in last December's election.
President Museveni, who came under fire for congratulating President Kibaki upon re-election as Mr Odinga cried foul, visited Kenya as diplomatic efforts to solve the political crisis gained tempo.
But his effort was not successful, and soon all of Kenya was looking to Mr Annan to bring Kenya's political rivals to an agreement that would reinstate political stability and end tribal clashes that killed thousands. Mr Annan, as part of a team of eminent Africans assigned to solve the Kenyan political crisis, arrived in Nairobi on January 22.
Kenya had descended into deadly tribal clashes after the Electoral Commission of Kenya announced that Mr Kibaki had won re-election by less than 500,000 votes.
With Mr Odinga threatening to hold massive street demonstrations that the police would not entertain, it was a political crisis not seen before in a country that had come to be seen as an oasis of stability in the region.
Within days of arriving in Kenya, Mr Annan managed to get Mr Odinga and Mr Kibaki to meet and shake hands, setting off a series of meetings that were later bolstered by the arrival in Kenya of US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Mr Annan last week announced the long-awaited deal at a ceremony attended by Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete. Mr Opolot, who was assigned to speak for President Museveni on the Kenyan affair, said yesterday that it was no big deal that Mr Museveni was not in Kenya last Thursday.
"The President has approached these talks in good faith…the issue of non-attendance is a non-issue," he said, arguing that Mr Museveni will play a crucial role in further engagements related to the deal.
Mr Annan was invited by the Uganda government, Mr Opolot said, rejecting the idea that the former UN chief would lecture President Museveni on expectations.
"President Museveni has been a partner [in the process that led to a power-sharing agreement]," Mr Opolot said. Under the new deal, set to be known as the "National Accord and Reconciliation Act", the prime minister-who will have two deputies-has powers to coordinate and supervise the activities of government.
The premier and his deputies can only be removed if Parliament gets the majority to pass a motion of no-confidence in them.
Some of Mr Odinga's allies may also make it to the coalition government. But Mr Annan has been warning that "the journey is far from over. In fact it is only beginning", alluding to the fact that there must be political will from both sides if the agreement is to work as well as it should.
RODNEY MUHUMUZA & AGENCIES
KAMPALA
FORMER UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, fresh from securing a power-sharing deal in Kenya, arrived in Uganda yesterday for a top-level meeting that will discuss Kenya. Mr Annan will "engage" President Museveni on the details of the political agreement reached in Kenya, Media Centre director Fred Opolot said yesterday.
Mr Annan told the world last Thursday that President Mwai Kibaki and opposition leader Raila Odinga had agreed to a deal that creates the post of prime minister for the Orange Democratic Movement chairman, who claims he won the popular vote in last December's election.
President Museveni, who came under fire for congratulating President Kibaki upon re-election as Mr Odinga cried foul, visited Kenya as diplomatic efforts to solve the political crisis gained tempo.
But his effort was not successful, and soon all of Kenya was looking to Mr Annan to bring Kenya's political rivals to an agreement that would reinstate political stability and end tribal clashes that killed thousands. Mr Annan, as part of a team of eminent Africans assigned to solve the Kenyan political crisis, arrived in Nairobi on January 22.
Kenya had descended into deadly tribal clashes after the Electoral Commission of Kenya announced that Mr Kibaki had won re-election by less than 500,000 votes.
With Mr Odinga threatening to hold massive street demonstrations that the police would not entertain, it was a political crisis not seen before in a country that had come to be seen as an oasis of stability in the region.
Within days of arriving in Kenya, Mr Annan managed to get Mr Odinga and Mr Kibaki to meet and shake hands, setting off a series of meetings that were later bolstered by the arrival in Kenya of US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Mr Annan last week announced the long-awaited deal at a ceremony attended by Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete. Mr Opolot, who was assigned to speak for President Museveni on the Kenyan affair, said yesterday that it was no big deal that Mr Museveni was not in Kenya last Thursday.
"The President has approached these talks in good faith…the issue of non-attendance is a non-issue," he said, arguing that Mr Museveni will play a crucial role in further engagements related to the deal.
Mr Annan was invited by the Uganda government, Mr Opolot said, rejecting the idea that the former UN chief would lecture President Museveni on expectations.
"President Museveni has been a partner [in the process that led to a power-sharing agreement]," Mr Opolot said. Under the new deal, set to be known as the "National Accord and Reconciliation Act", the prime minister-who will have two deputies-has powers to coordinate and supervise the activities of government.
The premier and his deputies can only be removed if Parliament gets the majority to pass a motion of no-confidence in them.
Some of Mr Odinga's allies may also make it to the coalition government. But Mr Annan has been warning that "the journey is far from over. In fact it is only beginning", alluding to the fact that there must be political will from both sides if the agreement is to work as well as it should.
