Thursday, November 8, 2012

Uhuru takes talks to Burundi


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Burundi’s President Pierre Nkurunziza (left) shakes hands with Justice minister Eugene Wamalwa in Bujumbura on November 7, 2012. With them are Deputy PM Uhuru Kenyatta, Water minister Charity Ngilu and MP Najib Balala. Photo| CORRESPONDENT|
Burundi’s President Pierre Nkurunziza (left) shakes hands with Justice minister Eugene Wamalwa in Bujumbura on November 7, 2012. With them are Deputy PM Uhuru Kenyatta, Water minister Charity Ngilu and MP Najib Balala. Photo| CORRESPONDENT|  NATION MEDIA GROUP
By OLIVER MATHENGE omathenge@ke.nationmedia.com AND ISAAC ONGIRI iongiri@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted  Thursday, November 8  2012 at  00:28
IN SUMMARY
  • The team also furthered their negotiations of reaching a coalition agreement between The National Alliance, New Ford-Kenya, Narc and United Republican Party ahead of the elections.
  • The team will then head to Uganda to meet with President Yoweri Museveni before returning to the country. A similar visit is planned for Rwanda.
  • Sources who attended the meeting said Mr Kenyatta and President Nkurunziza discussed how the region could handle its own cases relating to people accused of international crimes.
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Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta has started a second round of shuttle diplomacy to persuade regional leaders to take a common stand on ‘foreign interference’ in Kenya’s next elections.
Mr Kenyatta flew to Burundi’s capital-Bujumbura, with ministers Eugene Wamalwa, Charity Ngilu, and MPs Najib Balala, Kiema Kilonzo and Musikari Kombo to meet President Pierre Nkurunziza.
The team also furthered their negotiations of reaching a coalition agreement between The National Alliance, New Ford-Kenya, Narc and United Republican Party ahead of the elections. (READ: G7 plans nominations to choose flag-bearer)
URP leader William Ruto did not attend the meeting and sent Environment Minister Ali Chirau Mwakwere. Mr Ruto chaired his party’s National Governing Council at the URP headquarters in Lavington, Nairobi.
Sources at the meeting in a Bujumbura hotel said they were yet to strike a coalition deal. Mr Kombo termed the trip a serious diplomatic mission to introduce the group to other East African leaders.
“This mission has nothing to do with the ICC cases or the signing of a coalition agreement,” Mr Kombo said, revealing that they held talks with President Nkurunziza at his official residence.
The team will then head to Uganda to meet with President Yoweri Museveni before returning to the country. A similar visit is planned for Rwanda.
Sources who attended the meeting said Mr Kenyatta and President Nkurunziza discussed how the region could handle its own cases relating to people accused of international crimes.
Of the meeting, Mr Kenyatta said: “We’ve just been here to brief his Excellency that we are working together with the intention that we have a peaceful election in Kenya.”
Mr Kombo revealed that after Bujumbura, Mr Kenyatta would meet other East African presidents.

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