REFORMS COSTS GRAND COALITION FIRST MINISTER

Kenya's Constitutional affairs Minister Martha Karua has resigned from the Cabinet. She becomes the first Cabinet minister to quit the grand coalition government. Her resignation, which occurred while President Kibaki is on a foreign trip, could further rock the coalition government that is smarting from last weekend collapsed talks between the two principal partners.

Tendering her resignation on Monday afternoon, Karua hinted to the media that she chose to quit after realising that she could not execute her duties owing to frustrations from other quarters. The handling of reforms and the manner of appointment of judges by President Kibaki could have compelled the Gichugu MP to call quits. Karua was among the MP's who fought for the second Liberation that brought with it the IPPG (Inte- Parliamentary Group) meeting of 1997.