Rice in Kenya for crisis talks

0 Comments | AFP, February, 2008

NAIROBI (AFP) — US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Monday urged for an urgent power-sharing deal between Kenyan President Mwai and opposition leader Raila Odinga and join a grand coalition.

"I frankly believe that the time for a political settlement was yesterday ... It is really important that this is done urgently," Rice told reporters in Nairobi where she arrived to support mediation talks lead by former United Nations chief Kofi Annan.

"There needs to be a governance arrangement that will allow real power-sharing, that will allow a grand coalition," she said after holding talks with Annan.

Rice also met separately with Kibaki and Odinga, whose dispute over who won the December 27 presidential election plunged once stable Kenya into violence in...