NAIROBI (Reuters) - Kenya began swearing in its largest and costliest-ever cabinet on Thursday, a power-sharing coalition created to soothe fury over a disputed election that plunged the country into a bloody crisis.
The 41-member cabinet was being sworn in at the officialState House residence of President Mwai Kibaki, who split thegovernment posts 20-20 with the party of his closest electionchallenger, new Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
The two men met secretly on Saturday and broke a six-weekdeadlock over the cornerstone of a power-sharing deal brokeredin February, bringing relief to Kenyans and investors watchingfor signs of lasting peace in east Africa's biggest economy.
The shilling currency and the Nairobi Stock Exchange haverebounded already, having suffered badly after the countryerupted into riots and ethnic killings that saw more than 1,200people killed and 300,000 uprooted from their homes.
The cabinet -- almost certain to descend into infightingbefore long -- is supposed to steer the redrafting of a newconstitution within 12 months, to help address long-simmeringissues of land, wealth and power that fuelled the crisis.
The inauguration makes Odinga only the second primeminister in Kenyan history. Founding president Jomo Kenyattawas prime minister for a year before his title was changed.
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(Reporting by Wangui Kanina; Writing by Bryson Hull;Editing by Tim Pearce)