Kenya Parliament takes step toward power-sharing deal

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) -- Kenyan lawmakers took another step Tuesday toward approving a power-sharing deal to end the country's deadly political crisis, one day after reports the army used heavy firepower to crack down on a group linked to bloody land clashes.

After a short Parliament session Tuesday, the House Business Committee was to meet later Tuesday and set a schedule to debate two bills needed to implement a power-sharing accord President Mwai Kibaki and opposition leader Raila Odinga struck last month.

In the past week, politicians across the divide have endorsed the power-sharing deal -- indicating lawmakers will pass the bills quickly and without much resistance.

Kibaki and Odinga both claimed victory in December 27 presidential elections, a dispute that unleashed weeks of bloodshed that killed more than 1,000 people.

Kibaki and Odinga agreed to share power on February 28, after a month of negotiations mediated by former U.N. chief Kofi Annan, with Kibaki continuing as president and Odinga taking a new prime minister's post.

Once the power-sharing bills become law and a new government is formed, it will face major tasks, including helping the half-million people displaced by the past two month's violence and stemming losses in what was once one of Africa's most promising economies. E-mail to a friend

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