Who said Peacekeeping was Easy? - Kofi Annan’s experience in Nairobi, Kenya
Before he arrived in Kenya, one of the government ministers commented "If Kofi Annan is coming," John Michuki, a member of Mr. Kibaki's inner circle said, "He is not coming at our invitation. As far as we are concerned, we won an election." Talk of a welcome message.

An uninvited and obviously an unwanted guest, Kofi Annan braved the odds and took up a suit in Nairobi to start his 14 hour a day job. A job that had proved tough for previous International negotiators. At the airport, Mr. Kibaki refused to meet him, and ignored him throughout the first day.

But his cajoling, arm-twisting and occasionally threatening of both parties, has paid off. For almost a month, he and negotiators from the government and main opposition party spent most of their days holed up in a meeting room. Deadlines set failed to be respected, announced "major breakthroughs" turned out to be just agreements to continue talks.And finally, a peace deal was reached, with Kibaki accepting to share power with the top opposition leader Raila Odinga. Tough job, it is, keeping peace, isn’t it?