Agreement finally ends post Kenya election squabbles

(eTN) – The two main figures in the Kenya post-election saga have now reached a final agreement which should put to rest any lingering doubts about the country getting back on track.

(eTN) – The two main figures in the Kenya post-election saga have now reached a final agreement which should put to rest any lingering doubts about the country getting back on track.

Election loser Raila Odinga finally had to come to terms with the reality of the political situation in his country and eventually gave up his vain attempt, as so often before supported by a short lived street action of his goon platoons, to change the previously agreed positions.

In a private meeting with President Kibaki at the State Lodge near Kibakiโ€™s home the final details were mapped out and subsequently a new cabinet line-up announced on Sunday. Cabinet positions will be split on equal numbers which will also reflect the two sides’ strength in parliament.

The region now salutes President Kibaki for his eminent leadership in bringing peace back to Kenya and hopes that the displaced people can at an early stage return to their homes, from which they were driven by the post-election violence inflicted upon them. The deal will also support the tourism sectorโ€™s efforts to restore its position on the world markets and bring tourist visitors back to the Indian Ocean shores and safari parks, after the industry all but collapsed during the post election violence. No tourists had come to harm, however, since then, which will make the recovery easier for the region’s economic powerhouse.

From Uganda and the other hinterland nations also comes the expectation, if not outright demands, that the railway line will be quickly reconstructed and permanently secured from future damages, and that road transportation through Western Kenya will be given sufficient security patrols in the future to avoid similar supply disruption as witnessed again last week.

In any case, it will be the Mombasa port losing in the long term as efforts from all hinterland countries have gained momentum to work hand-in-hand with the Tanzanian government to improve ferry, rail and road links to reach Dar es Salaam port with greater ease. The Rwanda government has already signed agreements with Tanzania to establish a dry inland port in Tanzania, from which a rail link will be built to Rwandaโ€™s capital city Kigali.

Monday papers across the region have already expressed their jubilations over the deal reached and implemented in Kenya and hopes that the coalition holds firm and steady until the next elections, scheduled for 2012.

Meanwhile, all efforts by the international community and the Ugandan government to reach a negotiated agreement with the Kony killers have so far failed to persuade the International Criminal Court-wanted Kony to come out hiding and put pen to paper and conclude the deal that was in the making for the past two years.

Many of his lieutenants and foot soldiers have in past months abandoned their rebellion and taken advantage of the Uganda’s amnesty law, which was passed for this purpose. With his numbers on the ground dwindling, Kony then started killing some of his closest allies, first his erstwhile deputy Otti a few months ago, and going by latest reports from Juba also his new deputy Odhiambo and several other key commanders. Reasons for the latest atrocity, this time inflicted upon his own goons, could not be ascertained but may well focus on Kony’s deliberate deceptions over the signing of the peace deal.

The lead negotiator for the LRA, only recently put into place by Kony after sacking several other team leaders and members before, also resigned last weekend and promptly expressed his disgust with his โ€œleader.โ€ Kony had failed to assemble his remaining men at the agreed assembly points in Southern Sudan and had in fact moved them and their abductees into the Central African Republic, to where he is now thought to retreat towards again.

Former Mozambique President Chissano and other observers who had come to Southern Sudan’s capital Juba for the expected signing of the peace deal, expressed their disappointment with the latest development and were preparing to leave Juba once again, until some level of certainty could be obtained over the way forward.

Hardliners in Uganda are now advocating for a return to military action to resolve the impasse and round up the depleted Kony lot.

The International Criminal Court at The Hague has an arrest warrant out for Kony and several of his key allies, some of which are believed to be amongst those now killed by him.

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Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

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