Kufuor In Kenya

KENYAN PRESIDENT, Mwai Kibaki has announced the names of 17 ministers for his newly formed cabinet just before the arrival of President John Agyekum Kufuor, Chairman of the African Union.

The new appointees, whom Mr Kibaki describes as his first half cabinet, comprise members of other political parties that participated in the country's December 27 election.

The announcement was made in an address to the nation, which he recorded before going to the airport to welcome Mr Kufuor.

He named Kalonzo Musyoka, of ODM-Kenya who came third in last month's election, as vice-president but no-one from the main opposition party was appointed.

The others are Uhuru Kenyatta: Local government; Kanu Moses Wetangula: Foreign affairs; Kiraitu Murungi, Energy; Martha Karua, Justice; George Saitoti: Internal Security and John Michuki for Road transport.

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This development leaves 15 more positions to be occupied in order to get a full cabinet. Many former cabinet members lost their seats in the parliamentary elections but Mr Kibaki has retained several close allies from his Party of National Unity (PNU), including Energy Minister Kiraitu Murungi, who was previously sacked as a minister over a huge corruption scandal.

Kenya's presidential election suffered a controversial three-day counting process, resulting in violent clashes that killed over 300 people and displaced more than half a million others.

President Kufuor, who left the shores of Ghana yesterday for Nairobi, Kenya at the invitation of the Kenyan president to join the international effort to bring to an end the post election violence and restore the country back to the path of peace and tranquility, was met at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport by Mr Kibaki and several members of his newly formed Government.

At the airport, President Kufuor inspected an impressive guard of honour from the Kenyan Air Force, before proceeding to his hotel in the central business district of Nairobi to prepare for what will definitely be a busy day tomorrow; Andrew Awuni, Ghana's Presidential Spokes person said in a statement.

Meanwhile, according to a BBC report, top ODM official William Ruto has said they will not recognise the new cabinet.

“The cabinet is null and void because President Kibaki did not win the election and we shall not recognise it,” he said.

The ODM won a majority in parliament but does not have the two-thirds needed for a vote of no-confidence in the president.

President Kufuor while in Kenya, is expected to extract from both President Kibaki and his rival, Mr. Raila Odinga, an unconditional commitment to dialogue and resort to the use of constitutional means to resolve the electoral impasse in that country.

Ministers and government officials including Francis Poku, Minister for State Security; Lt. Gen. Joseph Boakye Danquah, Chief of Defence Staff; Hon. Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu, Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, and Hon. Asamoah Boateng, Minister of Tourism were at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) to see him off.

Andrea Awuni, Press Secretary to President Kufuor told journalists at the Jubilee Lounge of the KIA before the President boarded a Nigerian Air Force plane that “the trip is expected to bring to an end the 'now on-now off' attempt by the African Union to make a contribution to the efforts of the international community to restore peace in Kenya.

President Kufuor, who is expected to return on Thursday, January 10, 2008, was accompanied by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon. Akwasi Osei Adjei and other senior government officials.

It was speculated that President Kufuor was invited earlier but the Kenyan Foreign Affairs Minister was reported as stating that the happenings in Kenya were an internal affair which needed no external interference.

Later, a Kenyan special envoy, who arrived in Ghana at the weekend, indicated President Kibaki's willingness to dialogue and also his readiness to form a unity government with his main rival, Mr. Odinga.

Ethnic violence exploded in Kenya immediately after President Kibaki was announced winner of Thursday, December 27th presidential elections and hastily sworn in on Sunday, December 30 evening to a second term.

By Emelia Ennin