By Andrew Cawthorne NAIROBI, Sept 8 (Reuters) - Most Kenyans believe their presidential poll was "dishonest", but they have faith in the coalition government born out of the post-election crisis, a Gallup opinion poll showed on Monday. Despite plenty of bickering and jostling for power among ministers since the coalition's formation in April, 56 percent of Kenyans think it will last until the next presidential election, likely to be held in 2012, the survey said. Only six percent believe the power-sharing arrangement between President Mwai Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga will collapse within the next year. The U.S.-based pollster's interview with 2,200 people across the east Africa nation showed 70 percent think the Dec. 27, 2007, presidential vote was "dishonest". Some 57 percent believe former opposition leader Odinga won, while 25 percent think Kibaki was the victor. Both men's parties accused the others of rigging. Their dispute sparked two months of violence that killed at least 1,300 people, displaced more than 300,000 and paralysed key sectors of the economy like tourism, agriculture and transport. Kibaki and Odinga have put on a united front since April, however, and sources on both sides say they are working together well. The survey showed widespread support for both Kibaki and Odinga, though the latter's popularity was the greater. Odinga had an 85 percent approval rate, Kibaki 63 percent. Odinga, who runs the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party, has kept a high profile since taking the new premier's post, attending rallies, meetings and events on a daily basis, ensuring him saturation media coverage. Kibaki has stuck to his traditional style of staying out of the fray of daily politics and avoiding comments in the media. Kenyans listed lack of political will for reform, and ethnic divisions, as the main obstacles for the coalition that runs the region's biggest economy. Poverty and inflation are the government's main challenges, they said. Many Kenyans say they are relieved the coalition has held the peace, though doubt it will bring the real changes needed to stem the nation's endemic tribalism and corruption. Former U.N. chief Kofi Annan, who brokered the power-sharing agreement, scored 98 percent approval for his mediation work. Often criticised for failing to stop crises in Africa, the United Nations won a 97 percent rating from Kenyans, and the United States 89 percent for its role promoting the coalition. There were no prizes for guessing whom Kenyans want to see in the White House. Some 89 percent back U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama -- whose late father was Kenyan -- versus just three percent for Republican John McCain, according to Gallup. Those figures gave statistical confirmation to a phenomenon sweeping across Kenya and other parts of Africa. Thousands chanted "Obama!" at a weekend Kenya soccer match, many stayed awake all night to watch his acceptance speech at the Democrats' Convention at the end of August, and Obama's grandmother "Mama Obama" is a celebrity in her rural village. (For full Reuters Africa coverage and to have your say on the top issues, visit: http://africa.reuters.com/)
Women who farm on disputed land at the Mau forest gather wild vegetables to transport to local markets August 26, 2008. A familiar Kenyan saga of corruption, illegal landgrabbing and the ...
