Kenyan government agrees in principle to create PM's post

Nairobi: Kenya's government said on Thursday it agreed in principle to creating a prime minister's post demanded by the opposition, a possible breakthrough in a political crisis some worry could explode into violence again.

Local and international pressure has grown for a deal to end the standoff over President Mwai Kibaki's disputed re-election on December 27.

The opposition has threatened to resume street protests next week if its demands are not met.

Though the east African nation has been relatively calm for the last two weeks, the protest threat stoked fears of a resumption of the post-poll violence that killed at least 1,000 people and forced more than 300,000 out of their homes.

The unrest has damaged Kenya's reputation as a trade and tourism hub and one of Africa's most stable nations, usually the host of peace talks rather than the subject of them.

The African Union's new chairman, Jean Ping, flew into Kenya yesterday to add his diplomatic weight to the crisis talks led by the former UN secretary general, Kofi Annan.

"I'm beginning to see light at the end of the tunnel," Annan said in a statement after talks yesterday.

Both teams were to meet with their leaders on "a joint proposal that had been largely agreed on the governance structure" before returning today.

Government negotiator Mutula Kilonzo earlier said the creation of a prime minister's post was the focus. "That is more or less agreed on. What we are discussing now is the post's functions, responsibilities, nature of appointment and so on," he said.

Peace vow
Women wear white

Kenyan women wearing white clothes to symbolise peace vowed yesterday to surround the venue of crisis talks until a solution is found to the political crisis.

Many women and children have been among the victims of post-election violence.

Cases of rape and sexual violence doubled within days of trouble erupting. In refugee camps, traumatised children in makeshift classrooms have been drawing burned houses and beheaded people.