NAIROBI - The ruling Kenya African National Union (KANU) party said it had agreed yesterday to enact constitutional reforms demanded by an opposition-backed alliance before general elections.
If enacted, the reform proposals made by KANU would reduce the powers of 73-yearold President Daniel arap Moi, Kenya's ruler for 19 years who agreed under pressure to multiparty politics in 1991.
KANU's vice-president, Mr George Saitoti, who holds the same post in the government, told a news conference that KANU's proposals for change would be debated and adopted by parliament in its current session, meaning before presidential and parliamentary polls.
The announcement by the ruling party led by President Moi surprised opposition leaders, who earlier announced a list of new "mass actions" in Kenya to maintain pressure on the president. The president had held that there was no time for any constitutional reforms before elections this year. - (Reuter)