Kenya Announces Shared Cabinet

Calling for Kenyans to "put politics aside and get to work," president Mwai Kibaki named chief opposition leader Raila Odinga prime minister today in a move to end political strife with a power-sharing cabinet. The 40-member cabinet, including two deputy PMs, was divided evenly between the two parties, though the BBC notes that key positions remained with Kibaki loyalists.

Kibaki called for “a new Kenya” of “peace, liberty, and plenty” in a televised speech, though critics called the cabinet too large and unaffordable. Talks had seemingly broken down this week over Odinga’s fight for a cabinet evenly split between the parties. (More Kenya stories.)