Did World Bank Undermine Kufuor's Efforts?

Mystery of deal that Kibaki rejected br> The origin and authorship of a controversial document supposed to have been agreed on between President Kibaki and Mr Raila Odinga has become one of the enduring mysteries of the week.

In an effort to unravel the issue, the Saturday Nation talked to diplomatic sources, members of President Kufuor’s delegation, key government officials and others in the know, and the picture that emerges is of a freelance initiative driven by World Bank country representative Colin Bruce which preceded President Kufuor’s arrival and then ran parallel to the official mediation.

It seems that last Saturday, Mr Bruce called some key Western diplomats and informed them that he had facilitated some quiet discussion between representatives of President Kibaki and Mr Odinga that could form the framework for an agreement.

But he did not inform them of exactly who was representing either party, saying they needed complete confidentiality and were working with full knowledge and approval of the “principals” – President Kibaki and Mr Odinga.

Mr Odinga and his key allies were clearly in the know, but it is difficult to establish what or how much President Kibaki knew. There are indications, however, that at least one key State House operative was in the picture and was the one who had despatched an emissary to the secretive talks that were taking place at the World Bank headquarters, Upper Hill in Nairobi.

Broad concessions

By last Sunday, a draft agreement was in place, with one person who saw it expressing surprise that the President was making such broad concessions. The key points were re-tallying of the presidential vote by an independent body which would recommend if a re-run was necessary, and the interim formation of a coalition government with equal representation in terms and numbers of and weight of ministerial dockets.

Mr Odinga was quite happy with the agreement, but information came through that those on the Kibaki side had some reservations. However, they were agreed that it could provide a basis for the way forward.

When President Kufuor arrived from Ghana to spearhead the mediation effort, he was given the document. It is not clear whether it was handed to him by World Bank representatives or ODM.

At that time, the Ghanaian President was not looking into the details, but was more focused on securing a public commitment from President Kibaki and Mr Odinga that they were keen on a negotiated settlement.

Between shuttling from State House to Hotel Inter-Continental where he was meeting the ODM team, President Kufuor also got separate briefings from key Western missions. He met the US, French, British and German ambassadors and the European Union head of mission.

He was also busy trying to placate ODM which felt the Kibaki side was still making hawkish moves — such as the naming of a Cabinet — while they had demonstrated good faith by suspending their protest rallies. President Kufuor’s efforts continued late into Wednesday night, when a deal was secured for President Kibaki and Mr Odinga to meet at Harambee House, on Thursday basically to show their commitment to continued talks with brief statements and a photo opportunity.

But that same morning what is now being referred to as the World Bank agreement resurfaced.

Ready for signing

Foreign minister Moses Wetang’ula was at the Inter-Continental Hotel with the Kufuor delegation and a large group of diplomats when an ODM representative produced the document and said it was ready for signing.

ODM representatives had by then asked US ambassador Michael Ranneberger, his French counterpart E. Barbier and British high commissioner Adam Wood to sign as witnesses to President Kibaki and Mr Odinga signing the agreement alongside President Kufuor.

That was the document President Kibaki rejected.