Rice's message confirms the seriousness of the Kofi Annan-led mediation process which has received support form the United Nations, African Union, and the European Union

Members allied to the government have attacked Rice's visit accusing the US of imposing a solution to the current crisis.

On Sunday, Kenya's foreign minister Moses Wetangula warned that only a Kenyan solution was needed to end the current political crisis and called on the diplomatic community to stop interfering in local politics.

Rice delivered a personal message from President Bush and urged both president Mwai Kibaki and Raila Odinga to work together to resolve the crisis.

She confirmed the US position on the Kibaki's presidency and warned that it would not be business as usual. Rice later held talks with President Mwai Kibaki and ODM leader Raila Odinga and emphasized the need for the tow leaders to reach an agreement soon.

"It simply isn't going to be business as usual until this crisis is resolved," Rice said Monday.

Before embarking on his tour of Africa, US President George Bush pushed for a possible share power deal between President Kibaki and ODM's Raila Odinga.

Analysts have warned that any power-sharing deal negotiated outside the present constitutional arrangement is bound to fail.

"We believe that real power-sharing between President Kibaki and ODM leader Raila Odinga would allow for electoral and constitutional reforms," Rice said.

Last month while attending a special summit of the AU, U.S. State Department official for Africa, Jendayi Frazer, warned that the U.S. would impose an external solution to the Kenyan problem if internal solutions failed.

Chief mediator Kofi Annan last week announced that the two political rivals were moving towards settlement that would pave way for a grand coalition based on a power-sharing deal.

ODM has settled for an executive position of the Prime minister allowing it to share power with the President .

In the PNU, a group of hard liners have vowed not to enter in to any power-sharing arrangement with ODM fearing that the move would reduce the President's constitutional powers.

See the whole Tip-to-Annan series

See videos on post-election Kenya and on the whole election coverage
See the Kenya Protest - Day One photo gallery
See The Kenya Protest - Day Two photo gallery
See the Nakuru displaced photo gallery
See the burial of violence victim photo gallery


Keywords: kenya_elections