Kenya cabinet fresh crisis talks

President Kibaki's side of the cabinet is accused of ignoring its ODM partners

Kenya's coalition government has held fresh crisis talks a day after the premier said he would boycott cabinet meetings in a letter to the president.

Prime Minister Raila Odinga still feels his Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) is being sidelined by President Mwai Kibaki's Party of National Unity (PNU).

The pair agreed to work together last year to end clashes over disputed polls which left some 1,500 people dead.

The ODM says the national accord that formed the coalition is being ignored.

Neither President Kibaki or Prime Minister Odinga commented after the meeting.

Instead, a joint communique was released, showing that a special committee was formed to look into the concerns raised.

The BBC's Josphat Makori in Nairobi says the wrangles within the coalition are now threatening to derail the constitutional and institutional reforms that they parties had pledged to implement.

No red carpet

Mr Odinga wrote to Mr Kibaki on Wednesday saying that his ODM would boycott the cabinet until their power-sharing grievances were addressed.

A cabinet meeting scheduled for Thursday morning was postponed and the coalition are instead gathering at Harambee House, the president's office in Nairobi, to hear the former opposition party's list of concerns.

KENYA'S COALITION CRISIS Dec 2007: Disputed elections spark ethnic violence Feb 2008: Mediators broker power-sharing government pact April: Unity cabinet naming delayed amid last-minute dispute 5 Jan 2009: Odinga holds crisis talks; says ODM being sidelined 13 Jan: Inquiry amid claims of agriculture ministry maize cartels 3 April: Cabinet meets on anniversary of political marriage 4 April: Kilanguni retreat collapses in disarray amid arguing 6 April: Odinga labels Kibaki's governing style "primitive" 15 April: Odinga tells Kibaki ODM will boycott cabinet meetings

Talks on the issue were supposed to have been held two weeks ago during a cabinet retreat at Kilaguni, but broke up when neither side could agree on an agenda.

The ODM has in the past raised concerns that they have been left out of decisions over a new electoral commission - the original was disbanded after the disputed poll - and the appointment of ambassadors.

Mr Odinga recently complained at a public rally that no red carpet or toilet were provided for him during an official visit.

The prime minister has also said that the vice-president should not be getting paid more than him.

The power-sharing agreement was brokered in February 2008 by international mediators after the country was convulsed by ethnic violence linked to elections three months earlier.

The ODM has 21 ministers while the PNU has 20 following a resignation.