Photo | AFP Prime Minister Raila Odinga (left) and African heads of state mediators leave after a meeting with embattled Ivorian leader Laurent Gbagbo (unseen) on January 3 at the presidential palace in Abijian.
By OLIVER MATHENGE omathenge@ke.nationmedia.comPosted Saturday, January 8 2011 at 21:00
In Summary
- PM faced barriers in bid initiate face-to-face talks with two leaders but wins landing rights in Abuja
Officials in Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s office have given an account of his recent mission to Cote d’Ivoire as an observer for the African Union (AU).
According to the officials who accompanied him, Mr Odinga kicked off his mission in Nigeria where he was first briefed by a team from the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas).
Mr Odinga arrived in Nigeria in the early afternoon on January 2 where he boarded a jet from the fleet of the Nigerian presidency to Abuja for a meeting with President Jonathan Goodluck of Nigeria, who is also the chairman of Ecowas.
“A team from Ecowas was also on the ground to provide insights into the intricate politics of Cote d’Ivoire, including why neighbours like Liberia, Ghana were silent on the unfolding scenario in Cote d’Ivoire,” the officials said.
According to their account, the officials said that the Nigerian President was categorical that embattled Ivorian leader Laurent Gbagbo had to surrender the government to his opponent.
During the same meeting, the PM is said to have squeezed a deal for the Kenya national carrier, the Kenya Airways.
He asked President Goodluck to allow KQ to fly directly to Abuja, a request the Nigerian President granted immediately, according to the officials.
He is said to have asked the Nigerian High Commissioner in Nairobi, who was present at the meeting, to work with KQ on this mission.
The PM is also said to have also made a deal that Kenyans travelling to Nigeria be allowed to collect their visas on arrival instead of being restricted to getting it in Nairobi.
“Day one of what looked liked mission impossible ended with a dinner Goodluck hosted for the PM,” the officials said.
On January 3, the PM left in the morning for Abidjan in the company of Ecowas President James Victor Gbeho.
At the airport in Abidjan, Mr Odinga and his entourage was received by Mr Gilbert Ake, named prime minister in the cabinet of Cote d’Ivoire’s incumbent leader Mr Gbagbo. Mr Ake had a detailed security arrangement to take the Prime Minister to his hotel in Abidjan where he was to wait for the other presidents to arrive.
“Near the hotel was the furthest the world could allow Gbagbo’s soldiers to take the PM. The UN security contingent immediately took over; the UN having disowned him and the government he is running,” the officials said.
They added that from his hotel room, Mr Odinga could see Hotel Du Golf where Mr Alassane Ouattara, who was declared the winner of a presidential runoff was holed up, protected by a contingent of UN security and civilian supporters.
The PM and the three heads of State met at the hotel to plan their mission to Mr Gbagbo, a meeting that ran for more than an hour. Their shuttle diplomacy was to run literally for 24 hour, according to the officials.
They then headed to meet Mr Gbagbo who had sent a security detail to pick the guests who had come with “an unwelcome message”.
The meeting with Mr Gbagbo stretched from 5.30 p.m. to about 9 p.m., Ivorian time.
After the meeting, with Mr Gbagbo indicating his willingness to meet Mr Ouattara, the mission moved to Hotel Du Golf.
“But driving straight to that hotel was out of question. Mr Gbagbo’s security had to take the PM back to his hotel and hand him over to the UN security who would take him to Hotel Du Golf,” the officials recounted.
The drive to Hotel Du Golf took the delegation through barriers manned by an armed UN contingent including military tanks and armoured vehicles.
There was also another wall of civilian supporters of Mr Ouattara. The discussions with Mr Ouattara were concluded at 10 p.m., according to the officials.
The PM’s mission shuttled to Mr Gbagbo for talks that are said to have gone past mid-night. The team was to drive to the airport and leave for Abuja, where he was to brief President Goodluck.
“But no, the PM was told. He could not drive straight to the airport. Instead, he had to be driven back to his hotel, where he was to be handed over to UN security who would then see him off to the airport,” the officials recounted.
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