What Annan Team Discussed

7 February 2008 The Standard (Kenyan Newspaper)

Talks dwelt on the possibility of establishing a committee of inquiry into the presidential election debacle, vote recount, re-tallying and re-run of the presidential elections. But little progress was reported in this direction. The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) put on the table a seven-point proposal whose key points are a re-run and the installation of a transitional government. Party of National Unity (PNU) swiftly rejected all except one of the suggestions in the draft.

PNU only found common ground with ODM on one account — the need to disband and reconstitute the Electoral Commission of Kenya (ECK). Both sides are also said to have generally agreed on the need for constitutional and other legal reforms in future elections. ODM listed a presidential re-run as "absolutely necessary to restore the confidence of the Kenyan people in democratic elections".

ODM is also calling for the immediate installation of a transitional government comprising both ODM and PNU parties based on their parliamentary strengths. This would prepare the country for a presidential re-run within three to six months under a newly constituted ECK and a cleaned-up voter register.

There will also be the essential constitutional and legal reforms to anchor the transitional government and pave way for the re-run. Importantly, this government will be premised upon joint exercise of the executive authority.

But the PNU mediation team, which had just emerged from briefing President Kibaki on the progress of the talks, is said to have rejected the ODM proposals, with PNU reiterating its earlier position on that ODM should have gone to court.