KENYA: Opposition celebrates vote for parliament speaker

Record ID: 361476

  • Title: KENYA: Opposition celebrates vote for parliament speaker
  • Date: 16th January 2008
  • Summary: (W5) KISUMU, KENYA (JANUARY 15, 2008) (REUTERS) (NIGHT SCENES) PEOPLE IN THE STREETS CELEBRATING IN THE RAIN WOMAN ON THE BACK OF A TRUCK WAVING GREEN BRANCHES MEN IN A BAR DRINKING BEER AND GIVING THUMBS UP SIGN AND ONE MAN SAYING 'MARENDE, MARENDE' (SOUNDBITE) (English) GORDON KIMOTAHICK, A 25 YEAR OLD BUSINESS MAN SAYING: "Marende is going to be biassed? No! It shows
  • Embargoed: 31st January 2008 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Kenya
  • Country: Kenya
  • Topics: Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA3OUKNYLWVCBHMC45PZG4WDFPJ
  • Story Text: Opposition supporters in Kenya party into the night after one of their members was elected as speaker of the house in the new parliament.
    Kenya's parliament elected a speaker from the opposition on Tuesday (January 15), heralding serious legislative problems for President Mwai Kibaki after his disputed re-election last month unleashed a wave of bloodshed.
    After three rounds of voting, Kenneth Marende, the candidate of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), achieved the required simple majority in parliament's first session since more than 600 people were killed in post-election violence.
    Marende won 105 votes against 101 for the government candidate, outgoing Speaker Francis ole Kaparo. The close ballot raised the prospect of deadlock in parliament and difficulties for Kibaki in passing essential bills.
    Supporters of the ODM and opposition leader Raila Odinga in the city of Kisumu celebrated the result. A week ago there had been demonstrations which caused thousands of dollars damage to properties across the city.
    Kisumu is the stronghold of Raila Odinga, the opposition leader who says that he is the legitimate winner of the election.
    Genforsa Gebelly, who lost her job when the building she worked in was destroyed, hopes that peace will prevail.
    "The whole world knows that Kisumu people are for peaceful demonstration," she said.
    In the 222-seat parliament, the ODM has the highest number, 99 , after many of Kibaki's former ministers and allies lost their seats in the December . 27 election.
    Kibaki's Party of National Unity (PNU) won only 43 seats but is trying to garner support from political allies to prevent obstruction by the ODM.
    In a new blow to prospects for ending the damaging crisis, former U.N.
    Secretary-General Kofi Annan, due in Nairobi on Tuesday to head mediation efforts, delayed his mission for several days because of flu, his office said.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register