New mayor for Nairobi.

The new mayor of Nairobi is Godffrey Odihambo Majiwa of the main opposition party Orange Democratic Movement (ODM). Majiwa took the same number of votes as his Party of National Unity (PNU) rival John Njoroge Chege in internal city council elections on 25 February but was proclaimed the winner after the PNU candidate failed to show up for a deciding ballot.

However the ODM representative has agreeed to share power with Chege, who has now been sworn in as deputy mayor. ODM and PNU have also agreed to share the leadership of key council committees such as finance, planning, health, education and water.

ODM also took the mayorship in Mombasa, Kisumu and Eldoret. In Nakuru the poll resulted in a stalemate and it is still not clear which side will emerge the winner.

Meanwhile ODM has called off countrywide demonstrations planned for 28 February in protest over the failure to resolve the political impasse sparked by the disputed presidential elections of 27 December.

Negotiations stalled on 26 February as a result of deadlock over the creation of the post of prime minister, which would go to ODM leader and defeated presidential candidate Raila Odinga. Chief mediator Kofi Annan subsequently asked the two leaders to engage directly with the talks but, despite optimism among some Kenyan observers, a power-sharing agreement still looks a long way off.