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Kenyan Leaders Hold First Meeting After Power-Sharing Deal 

04 March 2008

Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki, left, and opposition leader Raila Odinga in Nairobi, Kenya, 28 Feb 2008<br />
Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki, left, and opposition leader Raila Odinga in Nairobi, Kenya, 28 Feb 2008
Kenya's political leaders say they will work together to heal the wounds of a country torn apart by political and ethnic violence.

President Mwai Kibaki met with opposition leader Raila Odinga for two hours in Nairobi Tuesday. It was their first meeting since they signed a power-sharing agreement five days ago.

Mr. Odinga said afterward the discussion was "very productive." Mr. Kibaki's office released a statement saying the leaders agreed to hold meetings with different communities in hopes of ensuring that Kenyans live together peacefully.

Both leaders claimed victory in the December 27 presidential election. The dispute sparked weeks of bloodshed that killed more than a thousand people and uprooted hundreds of thousands of others.

The statement from Mr. Kibaki's office said the leaders agreed to ensure their power-sharing pact is implemented fully.

Under the deal, Mr. Odinga is likely to serve as prime minister once parliament passes a constitutional amendment to put the agreement into law.

The sides are now holding further discussions aimed at resolving tensions over land distribution and economic inequality.

On Monday, 13 people in western Kenya were burned or hacked to death in what police described as clashes over land in the Mount Elgon region.

 

Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.

 

 

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