Government of National Unity (Kenya)
Encyclopedia
The Government of National Unity, also known as the "grand coalition cabinet," is a designation for the current coalition government
currently in power in Kenya
since April 2008. It was formed through negotiations between the Orange Democratic Movement
's leader and presidential candidate Raila Odinga
and Party of National Unity
's leader and incumbent presidential candidate Mwai Kibaki
in the aftermath of the ethnopolitical violence
which had followed the flawed and controversial presidential election
of the previous year. Kibaki sits as the president of the cabinet, while Odinga sits as a non-executive prime minister, while the cabinet is constituted of 40 ministers and 52 deputy ministers from both rivals' parties.
The deal for the creation of the cabinet was finalized on April 13, 2008, followed by the appointment of Odinga as prime minister on April 14 and the swearing-in of all members of the cabinet on April 17.
Coalition government
A coalition government is a cabinet of a parliamentary government in which several political parties cooperate. The usual reason given for this arrangement is that no party on its own can achieve a majority in the parliament...
currently in power in Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
since April 2008. It was formed through negotiations between the Orange Democratic Movement
Orange Democratic Movement
Orange Democratic Movement refers to a political party in Kenya, which is the successor of a former grassroots people's movement which was formed in the 2005 Kenyan constitutional referendum. The erstwhile single party which separated in August 2007 into two...
's leader and presidential candidate Raila Odinga
Raila Odinga
Raila Amollo Odinga , also popularly known to Kenyans as Agwambo, is a Kenyan politician, currently serving as the Prime Minister of Kenya in a coalition government. He has served as a Member of Parliament for Langata since 1992, was Minister of Energy from 2001 to 2002, and was Minister of Roads,...
and Party of National Unity
Party of National Unity (Kenya)
Party of National Unity was founded as a political coalition of parties in Kenya. On September 16, 2007, Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki announced the party formation and said that he would run as its presidential candidate in the December 2007 Kenyan elections...
's leader and incumbent presidential candidate Mwai Kibaki
Mwai Kibaki
Mwai Kibaki is the current and third President of the republic of Kenya.Kibaki was previously Vice President of Kenya for ten years from 1978–1988 and also held cabinet ministerial positions, including a widely acclaimed stint as Minister for Finance , Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for...
in the aftermath of the ethnopolitical violence
2007–2008 Kenyan crisis
The 2007–2008 Kenyan crisis refers to a political, economic, and humanitarian crisis that erupted in Kenya after incumbent President Mwai Kibaki was declared the winner of the presidential election held on December 27, 2007. Supporters of Kibaki's opponent, Raila Odinga of the Orange Democratic...
which had followed the flawed and controversial presidential election
Kenyan presidential election, 2007
A presidential election was held as part of the Kenyan general election on December 27, 2007; parliamentary elections were held on the same date. Incumbent President Mwai Kibaki was declared the winner and sworn in on December 30, despite opposition leader Raila Odinga's claims of victory...
of the previous year. Kibaki sits as the president of the cabinet, while Odinga sits as a non-executive prime minister, while the cabinet is constituted of 40 ministers and 52 deputy ministers from both rivals' parties.
The deal for the creation of the cabinet was finalized on April 13, 2008, followed by the appointment of Odinga as prime minister on April 14 and the swearing-in of all members of the cabinet on April 17.