Kenyan MPs to defy ban on rally

Kibaki (l) promised Raila (r) the prime minister's position

Eleven Kenyan MPs have said they will defy a police ban to go to a rally on Saturday in the capital, Nairobi.

The meeting was organised by a pressure group angered by President Mwai Kibaki's failure to introduce a new constitution this week.

But the police banned it because it clashed with another political meeting and there were fears of violence.

The constitution has deeply divided the ruling Narc coalition and led to a government shake-up this week.

'Propaganda'

Mr Kibaki's supporters called off their rally at Kamukunji after the police ban.

But 10 MPs from Kanu and a member of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) have sworn to attend their meeting at Uhuru Park.

"We have not received an official letter from the government banning the meeting so we shall attend. Everything that you hear about the meeting being banned is propaganda," said Martin Shikuku, a co-ordinator of the rally.

"What the police should do is provide security since the other group's meeting at Kamukunji has been called off by the convenors," he said.

CONSTITUTIONAL PROPOSAL Elected president appoints PM PM appoints cabinet PM leads government and chairs cabinet President remains head of armed forces

After coming to power in December 2002, President Kibaki promised to introduce a new constitution within 100 days, but the deadline was put back to 30 June this year, before being again postponed.

The LDP's Raila Odinga had been promised the new powerful post of prime minister in return for backing Mr Kibaki in the election.

A constitution review body earlier this year recommended the creation of a prime minister and the reduction of the president's powers despite opposition from Mr Kibaki's allies.

Mr Kibaki blamed the postponement on failure to agree on key issues and court cases but said he remained committed to having a new constitution.

On Wednesday, Mr Kibaki brought members of the former ruling Kanu party into government and demoted LDP members.

He said that political divisions along ethnic lines had hampered progress with the constitutional review.