President Mwai Kibaki shakes hands with opposition leader Raila Odinga as Kofi Annan claps in Nairobi yesterday

By Vision Reporter and Agencies

THE two rivals in Kenya’s political crisis shook hands and smiled yesterday after a landmark first face-to-face meeting, a month after the disputed presidential polls.

President Mwai Kibaki and opposition leader Raila Odinga spoke to reporters as they stood together next to former UN chief Kofi Annan, in a symbolic gesture after weeks of violence sparked by the disputed election, in which close to 800 people have died.

The two leaders had not talked since the December 27 polls despite intense pressure from Western powers and millions of anxious Kenyans horrified by their country’s slide into chaos.

During the opening of Kenya’s new parliament a week ago, Kibaki and Raila Odinga never spoke to each other or shook hands in spite of the fact that they were seated a few metres apart.

Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni spent three days in Kenya this week trying to mediate between the two rivals. Museveni, who returned home yesterday, held a number of meetings separately with President Kibaki and Raila Odinga.

Museveni proposed that there should be power-sharing, a judicial commission of inquiry into the December 27 presidential elections and investigations to establish who has been masterminding the post-election killings in Kenya.

Kibaki had insisted on direct talks with Odinga, who had refused to meet without the presence of a mediator. The opposition leader, who claims he was robbed of victory in the elections, made no reference to the vote and called for patience.

“We have taken the first vital steps in resolving electoral disputes,” Odinga told reporters after yesterday’s meeting. “I ask everyone to be patient and uphold peace in a spirit of brotherhood.”

Kibaki underlined his victory in the closely-fought elections — which drew criticism from international observers — and called for peace.

“After being sworn in as your duly elected president of Kenya, I will personally lead our country in promoting unity, tolerance peace and harmony,” he said.

“I pledge to all Kenyans that my team and I will spare no effort to resolve this crisis,” he said.

When the pair shook hands, hundreds of onlookers cheered.

After the meeting, Annan told reporters gathered outside Kibaki’s central Nairobi office, where the discussions took place, that: “I think we have began to take some fair steps towards a peaceful solution.”

Odinga and other officials from his opposition Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) agreed after meeting Annan on Wednesday to call off protests planned for yesterday.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) said it had “evidence that ODM politicians and local leaders actively fomented some post-election violence” in the Rift Valley.

“Opposition leaders are right to challenge Kenya’s rigged presidential poll, but they can’t use it as an excuse for targeting ethnic groups,” Georgette Gagnon said.

The opposition rejected the accusation. “We would like to see concrete evidence,” said Salim Lone, the spokesman for ODM party.