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Handshakes at dusk

Much hard work lies ahead if the awkward meeting between Odinga is to lead to a resolution of the worsening crisis

Such is the depth of despair about the intractability of the post-election crisis that many saw the meeting of Mwai Kibaki and Raila Odinga, arranged by former United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan on 24 January, as a great leap forward. It certainly confounded the sceptics who predicted that Annan would prove no more successful than the would-be mediators who have gone before him, such as fellowGhanaian John Kufuor and South Africa’s Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Halfway through the meeting at Harambee House in Nairobi, Kibaki and Odinga emerged to shake hands for the cameras. Kibaki then stood in front of the national flag and addressed the press ‘as your duly elected President’ as he outflanked Odinga and projected a winning image for the international media. Kibaki is determined not to wobble on his assertion of outright victory in the 27 December elections....

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Handshakes at dusk

Much hard work lies ahead if the awkward meeting between Odinga is to lead to a resolution of the worsening crisis

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