Kenya

New mega-cabinet sworn in

Article published on the 2008-04-17 Latest update 2008-04-17 14:50 TU

Mwai Kibaki, with Raila Odinga, announces the formation of the government on Sunday 13 April
(Photo: Reuters)

Kenya's new prime Raila Odinga took the oath of office today in front of his former political rival, President Mwai Kibaki. Ex-UN Secretary General Koffi Annan, who brokered the deal which led to the coalition being formed, called on Kenyans to support the new government, which is made up of 40 ministers and 53 assistant ministers.

The size of the cabinet, which is expected to add substantially to government running costs, has aroused criticism in a country where 60 per cent of the people earn less than a dollar a day.

Speaking on Monday, Human Rights Commission president Maia Kaia told RFI that its size means that it is unlikely to carry out useful reforms.

But Annan urged Kenyans to support it, so as to put an end to the post-eleciton violence which has cost  more than 1,500 lives.  

"I know that some would have liked a smaller cabinet which would have been easier to manage," he said. "But what is important is that the two parties have agreed."

A number of MPs who were not picked to join the government announced the formation of an opposition coalition.

Meanwhile, at least 19 people have been killed in Nairobi and elsewhere in an ongoing police crackdown on the banned Mungiki sect. About 230 members of the politically-connected group have been arrested since Monday.