PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni met embattled Kenyan leader Mwai Kibaki and the country's main opposition leader Raila Odinga, yesterday in efforts to quell a polls dispute that has left hundreds of people dead.
 
Mr Museveni arrived hours ahead of former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, who was also due to meet the warring sides to push for direct negotiations, a step which this month eluded Ghanaian President John Kufuor, the head of the African Union.

Ten more people were killed  in different parts of the country as the Government and ODM continued to differ over the way forward in the search for a peaceful settlement to the  current political crisis.

A UGANDAN pilgrim to Mecca is being detained in Saudi Arabia for alleged theft, the Uganda Hajj Mission has revealed. Under the Islamic law, or Sharia, he faces amputation of the left hand.

Hajji Suudi Nsereko was arrested on December 19 during the climax of the Hajj rites, according to the mission’s chairman, Sheikh Ibrahim Kirya.

New Speaker Kenneth Marende has promised to introduce major reforms in Parliament which will include review of the rules and provision for live coverage.

Mr Marende also announced he would give Constitutional reforms priority during his five-year tenure.

Orange Democratic Party’s Kenneth Marende is the new Speaker.

The opposition MP-elect bagged the coveted seat after managing 105 votes to his rival Francis ole Kaparo’s 101.

At least five people and a suicide bomber were killed in a Monday attack on a luxury hotel in Kabul, while six others were wounded, officials said.