Kenya's two leading political parties agreed Feb. 14 to rewrite the country's constitution. The move — however shaky — appears to pave the way for the creation of a prime ministerial post as a part of a power-sharing agreement aimed at resolving the political crisis there. Former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan has led ongoing mediations in Nairobi in an attempt to resolve the deadlock between Kenya's ruling Party of National Unity and opposition Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), each of which views itself as the legitimate government. The political struggle has sparked widespread violence in the country that has left an estimated 1,000 Kenyans dead and disrupted the Kenyan supply chain — on which Africa's entire Great Lakes region depends. While no details are available yet on the deal, government negotiator Mutula Kilonzo reportedly has said that the parties have agreed to rewrite the country's constitution — crafted in 1963 — within a year. Two issues are believed to be at the core of any rewrite: the creation of a prime ministerial post and the holding of fresh elections. ODM leader Raila Odinga would certainly expect the prime minister position and would be expected to use it to rein in the otherwise unencumbered powers of the presidency. Holding new elections, meanwhile, would allow both political parties — which accuse each other of rigging and manipulating the Dec. 27, 2007, vote — to try to gain fresh political legitimacy. The agreement to rewrite the constitution within a year does not mean there will be an immediate end to the political crisis, though this is the first concrete step toward a resolution. Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki is not expected to yield all of his presidential powers to Odinga should a prime minister position be created, and the date for fresh elections is far from clear. Certainly, more mediation will be required to enforce a power-sharing deal between the political parties, and such a deal is months away, at best. However, an apparent deal — like the one reached Feb. 14 — would permit the parties to begin reining in politically motivated violence and slowly return stability to the country, allowing the supply chain gradually to return to normal.