However, Kibaki expressed his willingness to include the opposition in a government of national unity which must conform with the existing constitution. PNU affiliate parties have threatened not to bark any agreement that does not emerge from the existing constitutional arrangement.

"Agreeing to enter into a quick fix for the sake of Raila is a betrayal of the people of Kenya and the constitution. Legitimizing an illegal deal that violates the constitution will mean that we will be playing in creating an illegal office of the prime minister'', said Foreign Affairs Minister Moses Wetangula.

Despite mounting pressure from the international community for Kibaki and Odinga to seal a power-sharing deal to end the bloody post-election violence, the two protagonists remained on their hard line positions. 

Kofi Annan is among the leaders who have proposed for the formation of a grand coalition to include ODM and PNU.

On Monday, US Secretary of State Condelezza Rice called upon the two leaders to work towards a power-sharing arrangement.

"We hope that a power-sharing deal will be reached soon. It is only through such an arrangement that peace and security will return", Rice said in Nairobi.

The EU has called for a compromise and warned that anyone sabotaging the talks would be 'punished'.

See the whole Tip-to-Annan series

See videos on post-election Kenya and on the whole election coverage
See the Kenya Protest - Day One photo gallery
See The Kenya Protest - Day Two photo gallery
See the Nakuru displaced photo gallery
See the burial of violence victim photo gallery


Keywords: kenya_elections