Key ruling in Kenya coalition row

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The Kenyan parliament's speaker is to rule on who will chair a key committee at the heart of the latest dispute to hit the fragile coalition government. Both Prime Minister Raila Odinga and Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka say they must lead the House Business Committee. It is the latest stand-off between the prime minister's Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) and President Mwai Kibaki's Party of National Unity (PNU). The two parties agreed a power-sharing deal last year to end poll violence. But relations have soured and crisis talks have failed to improve relations. The president's allies say he has the power to decide who should hold the crucial position of leading government business in the house. Mr Odinga said on Monday fresh elections may be needed if the rift cannot be solved. Over the weekend, President Kibaki's party accused the ODM of "fomenting a coup". Mr Odinga has previously said he was being sidelined in the government. Earlier this month, his party said it would boycott cabinet meetings, leading to inconclusive crisis talks. 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. Mr Musyoka used to be a senior ODM official but split to form his own party - ODM-Kenya - and is now seen as close to the president. About 1,500 people were killed and 300,000 forced from their homes after Mr Odinga's supporters said he had been cheated of victory in the December 2007 presidential election. Former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan managed to broker a power-sharing deal in February 2008, which ended the violence. Source: BBC

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