A ceasefire, for now

On Thursday, Medical Services minister Anyang Nyong’o, who is also the ODM secretary-general, said they reached the decision to stop the habit of blaming Mr Odinga for all governance problems yet he was not involved in decision making. ODM has been concerned at what it says is failure to recognise Mr Odinga as an equal coalition partner with the President, the role of Head of Civil Service Francis Muthaura, the manner in which public appointments are being made and the need to negotiate afresh the power deal.

Unlike the Kilaguni meeting where the two sides failed to agree on the agenda, Prof Kibwana and Mr Miguna drafted an agenda which was agreed on by both sides. After the meeting at Harambee House, which ended shortly before 2.30pm, the leaders, who included the President, Prime Minister and the Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka and all the other members of the committee, came out in a public display of unity and posed for pictures.

Others who attended the meeting were deputy PMs Musalia Mudavadi, Uhuru Kenyatta, and Cabinet ministers William Ruto, James Orengo, Charity Ngilu, Mohamed Elmi, George Saitoti and Chirau Ali Mwakwere. Earlier on in the morning, ministers Mutula Kilonzo, Prof Sam Ongeri and Noah Wekesa were seen leaving Harambee House. It was not immediately clear if they had attempted to attend the meeting. Reports by Bernard Namunane, Dave Opiyo, Lucas Barasa and David Mugonyi