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Tensions high as Kenyan parliament reopens

Refugees prepare breakfast in the grounds of the catholic Church in ElDoret, Kenya, yesterday. Post-election violence has left hundreds of people dead with many of the victims coming from this area. PHOTO: EPA

Rival Kenyan political parties jostled for support yesterday ahead of a flashpoint re-opening of parliament amid the devastating crisis spurred by the disputed presidential election.

With more than 700 people already killed in the violence that followed the Dec. 27 re-election of President Mwai Kibaki, Kenyans were bracing for more possible violence this week as the opposition plans to go ahead with three days of nationwide demonstrations beginning tomorrow, despite a police ban.

Kibaki is due to open the country's 10th parliament today, setting the stage for the first post-election show of political strength as lawmakers elect one of their own to the powerful post of parliament speaker.

With none of the major parties having a majority of seats, they have been furiously wooing smaller parties ahead of the vote.

Opposition leader Raila Odinga and his Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), which claims Kibaki stole the presidential election by vote fraud, won the most seats in the parliamentary elections also held on Dec. 27, capturing 99 of the chamber's 222 seats.

Kibaki's Party of National Unity (PNU) won 43 seats and an allied party 16 seats.

The speaker's election requires a two-third majority for the first two rounds, but requires only a simple majority if the vote moves to a third round.

Four candidates have entered the race, with the government side supporting the re-election of veteran speaker Francis ole Kaparo, while the opposition is fronting MP-elect Kenneth Marende.

"We are convinced that we are going to get enough numbers to elect a neutral speaker who will serve the house without favor. We are appealing to all political parties and individual MPs who love peace to support us," said Mutula Kilonzo, a spokesman for the government side.

Both the PNU and its ally, along with the ODM, began holding separate meetings on Sunday to plan for the opening of parliament.

"We are going for a retreat to seek ways that would enable ODM's candidate to win. We have the numbers but we will not take chances," ODM member William Ruto told the Daily Nation newspaper.

Ruto has rejected the widely held view that by attending the opening of parliament, convened by Kibaki, the opposition is in effect recognizing the legitimacy of his presidency.

"We are not going to sit back and allow them install a speaker who will pave the way for the illegitimacy to continue," Ruto said.

Although the session is expected to be stormy, the three days of nationwide demonstrations called by the ODM, expected to start tomorrow, have been banned by the government, as there are fears of more violence.

Nationwide rioting that erupted after the swearing in of Kibaki on Dec. 30 rapidly descended into tribal clashes, leaving at least 700 people dead and displacing nearly 260,000.
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