VOA常速英语2008年-Kenyan Parliament Debates Power-Sharing Deal

By Derek Kilner
Nairobi
11 March 2008

Kenya's parliament has reconvened, with lawmakers planning to discuss a power-sharing accord between the country's two main parties. As Derek Kilner reports from Nairobi, a statement Monday by a government official has raised concerns among the opposition¹ about whether the government is backtracking on its commitments.

The agreement, signed at the end of February by President Mwai Kibaki and his main challenger in the presidential race, Raila Odinga, calls for the creation of a prime minister's office that would go to Mr. Odinga, and for government positions to be split evenly between the two parties.

But a statement Monday by the head of Kenya's civil service, Francis Muthaura, on how the coalition² would operate, drew criticism from Odinga's Orange Democratic Movement. Party leaders say the statement describes a weaker role for the prime minister and less sharing of government positions than was agreed.

A leading member of the Orange Democratic Movement, Najib Balala, warned the government from retreating on its commitments under the agreement.

"They promised the world and signed on a paper that they will keep that word," he said. "And if it backtracks from the promise, I want to say that this country is going to be in bad shape."

Both President Kibaki and Mr. Odinga have called for parliament to act quickly to pass legislation enacting³ the agreement, but key details of how the coalition will operate have not yet been agreed. These include the precise powers of the prime minister, how the cabinet positions will be divided between the parties, and what happens if the coalition collapses⁴.

Meanwhile, Kenya's military and police are continuing an operation that began early last week in the country's west against the Sabaot Land Defense⁵ Force. The group has been involved in clashes over land distribution in the Mt. Elgon district that have killed several-hundred people in the past two years and displaced tens of thousands.

The group was blamed for an attack on two villages last week that killed 13 people.

A former lawmaker from the district, Wilberforce Kisiero criticized the operation.

"Mt. Elgon area right now is being bombed from the air by helicopters which are throwing bombs. Military personnel jointly⁶ with the police and other armed forces are also rounding up people in an effort to hunt down what they call Sabaot Land Defense Forces," he said. "There is a very serious human tragedy in Mt. Elgon at the moment."

The operation has set off a renewed wave of displacement⁷ from the district, part of the Rift⁸ Valley region that was at the center of January's post-election violence, with some fleeing across the border to Uganda.

1 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

2 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

3 enacting   

制定（法律），通过（法案）( enact的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Generally these statutes apply only to wastes from reactors outside the enacting state. 总之，这些法令只适宜用在对付那些来自外州的核废料。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法
• In addition, the complexion of enacting standards for live working is described. 另外，介绍了带电作业标准的制订情况。

4 collapses   

折叠( collapse的第三人称单数 )； 倒塌； 崩溃； （尤指工作劳累后）坐下

参考例句：

• This bridge table collapses. 这张桥牌桌子能折叠。
• Once Russia collapses, the last chance to stop Hitler will be gone. 一旦俄国垮台，抑止希特勒的最后机会就没有了。

5 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

6 jointly   

ad.联合地，共同地

参考例句：

• Tenants are jointly and severally liable for payment of the rent. 租金由承租人共同且分别承担。
• She owns the house jointly with her husband. 她和丈夫共同拥有这所房子。

7 displacement   

n.移置，取代，位移，排水量

参考例句：

• They said that time is the feeling of spatial displacement.他们说时间是空间位移的感觉。
• The displacement of all my energy into caring for the baby.我所有精力都放在了照顾宝宝上。

8 rift   

n.裂口，隙缝，切口；v.裂开，割开，渗入

参考例句：

• He was anxious to mend the rift between the two men.他急于弥合这两个人之间的裂痕。
• The sun appeared through a rift in the clouds.太阳从云层间隙中冒出来。