Annan in Kenya for talks
Wednesday, 23 Jan 2008 14:00
Kofi Annan to mediate in Kenyan political dispute
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Kofi Annan has arrived in Kenya in a bid to reconcile the country's fractured political climate.
The former UN secretary general was due to hold talks with president Mwai Kibaki and opposition leader Raila Odinga on Wednesday.
Mr Kibaki and Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader Mr Odinga have not spoken since the bitterly-disputed presidential polls last month.
Since the December 27th vote, up to 700 people have died in civil unrest against Mr Kibaki's re-election and reprisal killings.
An estimated quarter of a million people have also been displaced by the bloodshed.
Mr Annan, whose mediating team includes former Tanzanian president Benjamin Mkapa and Nelson Mandela's wife Graca Machel, said he was hopeful the "will, maturity, resourcefulness and judgement" of Kenya's leaders would see the political crisis resolved.
"We are determined to work with the parties to find a solution as quickly as possible," he said upon arrival in Nairobi.
"We want to determine by tomorrow how quickly the parties want to work with us."
Mr Annan's mediation bid in Kenya comes after
African Union head and Ghanaian president John Kufuour failed to get Mr Kibaki and Mr Odinga to meet.
Opposition leaders meanwhile have pledged to press on with protests planned for the remainder of the week despite a government ban.