President Mwai Kibaki, last week named opposition leader Raila Odinga as prime minister - a sign that normalcy is returning to Kenya. This implemented a long awaited power-sharing deal regarded as a resolution to the political crisis that saw over a thousand people killed, and thousand more made homeless, since general elections were held there last December.

The initiative taken by Kibaki marks the first time that Kenya will have both a president and prime minister. Political observers in Kenya and internationally, will be paying close observance to the working relationship between Kibaki and Odinga, as the two has not been famous for having being cordial to each other in the past. Both men agreed in February to share power in ruling the country, following the long, violent and bitter dispute over the outcome of the general elections, which both claimed that they won.

In another sign of unity, Kibaki also announced that the country’s new 40 ministry cabinet would be shared equally between his Party of National Unity and Odinga’s party, the Orange Democratic Movement.

Meanwhile in Zimbabwe where President Mugabe is disputing Opposition claims that it won the general elections of three weeks ago, election authorities said they would recount the votes from some two dozen parliamentary races. Mugabe’s party is seeking to overturn election results that indicated that they were defeated. To date, the votes for the presidential election have not been released, although there are claims that Mugabe lost, but is indicating his refusal to demit the office he has held for 28 years.