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Kenya: Talks to Wind Up Next Week
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The Nation (Nairobi)
19 June 2008
Posted to the web 19 June 2008
Dave Opiyo
Nairobi
The National Dialogue and Reconciliation talks seeking solutions to the political crisis occasioned by last year's disputed presidential elections in Kenya, will wind up next week.
The talks were initially expected to conclude on Wednesday but the negotiators resolved not to do so in the absence of the chief mediator, Prof Oluyemi Adeniji, who is out of the country. Prof Adeniji had travelled to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, two weeks ago to brief the African Union on the progress of the talks before proceeding to Nigeria on personal matters.
He was expected back in the country on June 27 but due to the sudden change of programme, he will return on Thursday.
"It's our wish that we conclude what is remaining in the presence of Prof Adeniji but we shall have to wait for his return then discuss when to reconvene the last session, most probably on Monday," said Agriculture minister William Ruto.
Mr Ruto said they would need to once again go through what had been discussed under Agenda Four - the long-term solutions to the political crisis for the talks to be concluded. Agenda Four entailed coming up with constitutional, institutional, land and legal reforms to ensure sustainable peace, address poverty, inequity, equitable access to opportunity and regional imbalances.
It also involves tackling unemployment, particularly among the youth, consolidating national cohesion, promoting transparency and accountability in the affairs of government, and fighting corruption among others.
Terms of reference
Mr Ruto, a member of the dialogue team, said they would also discuss the new terms of reference for the few members of staff of the National Dialogue secretariat, who will remain behind to offer their expertise when needed.
The Panel of Eminent Persons led by former UN secretary general Kofi Annan are to propose names of international experts to assist in running the Constitutional Review Process and the Truth Justice and Reconciliation Commission.
"We have asked the secretariat to give us a write-up on how they would wish to continue their mandate," said Mr Ruto after chairing a meeting at Serena Hotel. He disclosed that once they had concluded their last session, Prof Adeniji may leave the country but said that they would maintain strong links with him for the talks to succeed.
Recently, Prof Adeniji, who took over chairing the talks from Mr Annan, was involved in a spat with Foreign Affairs minister Moses Wetang'ula who said the team had finished its brief and the chief mediator should therefore pack up and go.
However, the chief mediator told off Mr Wetang'ula. "I'm not a refugee. I haven't come to Kenya to seek political asylum, nor am I an economic refugee. In fact, I have another job waiting for me," Prof Adeniji said.
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Deputy Prime minister Musalia Mudavadi and ministers Martha Karua and Mutula Kilonzo, who are also in the mediation team did not attend Wednesday's session.
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