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Text of Kenya power-sharing deal
February 28, 2008
Acting Together for Kenya:
Agreement on the Principles of
Partnership of the Coalition Government
Preamble:
The crisis triggered by the 2007 disputed presidential election
has brought to the surface deep-seated and long-standing divisions
within Kenyan society. If left unaddressed, these divisions
threaten the very existence of Kenya as a unified country. The
Kenyan people are now looking to their leaders to ensure that
their country will not be lost.
Given the current situation, neither side can realistically govern
the country without the other. There must be real power-sharing to
move the country forward and begin the healing and reconciliation
process.
With this agreement, we are stepping forward together, as
political leaders, to overcome the current crisis and to set the
country on a new path. As partners in a coalition government, we
commit ourselves to work together in good faith as true partners,
through constant consultation and willingness to compromise.
This agreement is designed to create an environment conducive to
such a partnership and to build mutual trust and confidence. It is
not about creating positions that reward individuals. It seeks to
enable Kenya's political leaders to look beyond partisan
considerations with a view to promoting the greater interests of
the nation as a whole. It provides the means to implement a
coherent and far-reaching reform agenda, to address the
fundamental root causes of recurrent conflict, and to create a
better, more secure, more prosperous Kenya for all.
To resolve the political crisis, and in the spirit of coalition
and partnership, we have agreed to enact the National Accord and
Reconciliation Act 2008, whose provisions have been agreed upon in
their entirety by the parties hereto and a draft copy is appended
hereto.
Its key points are:
• There will be a prime minister of the government of Kenya, with
authority to coordinate and supervise the execution of the
functions and affairs of the Government of Kenya.
• The prime minister will be an elected member of the National
Assembly and the parliamentary leader of the largest party in the
National Assembly, or of a coalition, if the largest party does
not command a majority.
• Each member of the coalition shall nominate one person from the
National Assembly to be appointed a deputy prime minister.
• The cabinet will consist of the president, the vice president,
the prime pinister, the two deputy prime ministers and the other
ministers. The removal of any minister of the coalition will be
subject to consultation and concurrence in writing by the leaders.
• The prime minister and deputy prime ministers can only be
removed if the National Assembly passes a motion of no confidence
with a majority vote.
• The composition of the coalition government will at all times
take into account the principle of portfolio balance and will
reflect their relative parliamentary strength.
• The coalition will be dissolved if the Tenth Parliament is
dissolved; or if the parties agree in writing; or if one coalition
partner withdraws from the coalition.
• The National Accord and Reconciliation Act shall be entrenched
in the Constitution.
Having agreed on the critical issues above, we will now take this
process to Parliament. It will be convened at the earliest moment
to enact these agreements. This will be in the form of an Act of
Parliament and the necessary amendment to the Constitution.
We believe by these steps we can together in the spirit of
partnership bring peace and prosperity back to the people of Kenya
who so richly deserve it.
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