Page8 TheTrumpet MARCH 12 - 25, 2008
FortheRecord
What President Mwai Kibaki and
ODM leader Raila Odinga agreed on
The following is the text of the agreement signed by President Kibaki and ODM leader Raila Odinga to end Kenya’s political crisis.
The pact was witnessed by Mr. Kofi Annan, the chief mediator, and Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete, who is also the chairman of the African Union.
Preamble
T
he crisis, triggered by the 2007
disputed presidential election,
has brought to the surface,
deep-seated and long-standing
divisions within Kenyan society. If left
un-addressed, these divisions threaten the
very existence of Kenya as a unified
country. The Kenyan people are now
looking to their leaders to ensure that their
country will not be lost.
Given the current situation, neither
side can realistically govern the country
without the other. There must be real
power-sharing to move the country
forward and begin the healing and
reconciliation process.
Mwai Kibaki Kofi Annan Raila Odinga
With this agreement, we are stepping
To resolve the political crisis, and in minister.
forward together, as political leaders, to
the spirit of coalition and partnership, we The Cabinet will consist of the
overcome the current crisis and to set the
have agreed to enact the National Accord President, the Vice-President, the Prime
country on a new path. As partners in a
and Reconciliation Act 2008, whose Minister, the two Deputy Prime Ministers
coalition government, we commit
provisions have been agreed upon in their and the other Ministers.
ourselves to work together in good faith as
entirety by the parties hereto and a draft The removal of any minister of the
true partners, through constant
copy thereof is appended hereto. coalition will be subject to consultation
consultation and willingness to
and concurrence in writing by the leaders.
compromise.
Its key points are: The Prime Minister and Deputy Prime
This agreement is designed to create
There will be a Prime Minister of the Ministers can only be removed if the
an environment conducive to such a
Government of Kenya, with authority to National Assembly passes a motion of no
partnership and to build mutual trust and
coordinate and supervise the execution of confidence with a majority vote.
confidence. It is not about creating
the functions and affairs of the The composition of the coalition
positions that reward individuals. It seeks
Government of Kenya. government will at all times take into
to enable Kenya’s political leaders to look
The Prime Minister will be an elected account the principle of portfolio balance
beyond partisan considerations with a
member of the National Assembly and the and will reflect their relative
view to promoting the greater interests of
parliamentary leader of the largest party in parliamentary strength.
the nation as a whole. It provides the
the National Assembly, or of a coalition, if The coalition will be dissolved if the
Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete
means to implement a coherent and far-
the largest party does not command a Tenth Parliament is dissolved; or if the
Constitution.
reaching reform agenda, to address the
majority. parties agree in writing; or if one coalition
Having agreed on the critical issues
fundamental root causes of recurrent
Each member of the coalition shall partner withdraws from the coalition.
above, we will now take this process to
conflict and to create a better, secure and
nominate one person from the National The National Accord and Reconciliation
Parliament. It will be convened at the
prosperous Kenya for all.
Assembly to be appointed a deputy prime Act shall be entrenched in the
earliest moment to enact these
agreements. This will be in the form of
Opinion
an Act of Parliament and the necessary
amendment to the Constitution.
We believe by these steps, we can
together, in the spirit of partnership
In search of a true Igbo national attire
bring peace and prosperity back to the
people of Kenya who so richly deserve it.
Continued from Page 7< We read that back in the day, our women At the wedding between Precious and
usually adorned their bodies in Nzu, while Cordelier Osuala in Abuja sometime in
covering their upper body and waist areas 2007, this dilemma actually hit home.
PINNACLE INTERNATIONAL
cultural evolution.
with pieces of akwete cloth. Agreed that Alongside my friend Nze Sunny Ogbu
COLLEGE
Most affected by the globalisation
civilisation no longer allows such mode of and others, we really wanted to identify
onslaught is the Igbo language which
Zenith House. 69 Lawrence Road,
dressing but still, there has to be another with our Igbo culture and felt that we
many believe is dying. Some have
N15 4EY
particular type of dress that should be could best do this by turning out in true
advocated making it compulsory in Igbo
Hall for Hire
adopted to signify or represent true Igbo Igbo dresses, but it was actually while
homes and schools; these are all good
attire. discussing our options that we came to the
For all Conferences, Occasions, & Seminars
suggestions as I’m in support of any
The men are not left out too as they are conclusion that they were limited. We
5 minutes from Seven Sisters Station
scheme that will lead to the resurgence of
also caught up in this apparent state of ended up wearing Isi-agu but we still felt
(With a capacity for 200 people)
the Igbo culture. It may also be necessary
confusion regarding what the Igbo attire that we could have done better, only that
to appeal to Ndigbo at home and in the
For all enquiries, please call
is. The traditional Isi agu dress worn we didn’t know how else.
diaspora to emulate their Yoruba and
Brenda on 02088265911 or
mainly by people from Abiriba, Bende, Should this then be a matter for
Hausa brothers who strive always through
visit www.pinnacleic.com
Item, Ohafia and Igbere in Abia state will Ohaneze Ndigbo, the Pan-Igbo socio-
their names and language, to relive their
for details of the Academic
readily come to mind here, but there is no political organisation to look into? Maybe,
culture wherever they may be living. It is
courses & Fees
general acceptance that the Isi agu is but while we wait for further word on this
only by so doing that the present
- foreign Students are welcome
indeed a generally accepted Igbo dress. from them, perhaps the time has come for
generation will have something to pass on
Neither are lace, brocade and abada Ndigbo who know better to come forward
to the future generation.
materials. These all seem to be borrowed to prescribe, or rather suggest to today’s
Sometimes, the confusion also arises
from other tribes. There has got to be a Ndigbo what could indeed be regarded as
It pays to Advertise in
as to what truly defines Igbo culture, take
dress Ndigbo could adopt and use as their the true Igbo dress.
for instance clothes. What is indeed a true
national attire.
The Trumpet
Igbo attire for the Igbo man and woman?
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