Kenneth Ogosia
15 June 2008
Nairobi — President Kibaki told African heads of state they should embrace dialogue and emulate Kenya which has emerged from post-election violence a much stronger nation after the formation of a grand coalition government.
The President told the 12th session of the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development that "since our last extra-ordinary summit in January 2008 here in Addis Ababa, a number of positive developments have taken place in our region."
"I shared with you the unprecedented challenges that we faced in Kenya in the aftermath of the General Election we held last December. I am glad to inform you that many of these challenges have now been overcome," he said.
He said the grand coalition government has put in place wide-ranging measures to promote national cohesion. He stressed that the government has given priority to the resettlement of people displaced during the post-election violence.
The government is also undertaking fundamental legal, constitutional and other reforms that will put the country on a sound footing and ensure that there is no repetition in the future.
The President said the post-election violence served as a wake-up call to the political leadership in Kenya. "Our nation has emerged from the crisis stronger, and our democracy more mature. I would like to assure you all of my government's commitment to ensuring that the grand coalition succeeds," he added.
He expressed disappointment that civil conflict, small arms and food insecurity continue to pose a threat to the security, stability and development of the IGAD sub-region.
On Sudan, he said that since the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in Nairobi in 2005, and notwithstanding several challenges, critical milestones have been reached by the two parties to the agreement in the Sudan.
But renewed violence in Abyei negates the sacrifices made by many and the very spirit in which the Comprehensive Peace Agreement was conceived. The President returned to the country last evening.
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