Annan to Pressure Kenya Govt on Reforms

Former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan arrived in Kenya Sunday to help pressure the country’s government into enacting pledged reforms that will guarantee future stability in the East African nation.

Immediately upon arrival, Annan urged the leaders of the country’s ruling coalition to listen to the pro-reform voice of the Kenyan people, reminding them that the government had a mere 18 months to install a new constitution.

The former UN chief, who helped broker a power sharing deal that ended deadly post election skirmishes that claimed over 1000 lives in early 2008, is scheduled to meet Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga.

His visit comes at a time when the Kenyan government is under increasing international pressure, including a threat by the US and European countries to issue travel bans to key government officials over the slow pace of reforms.