Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki swore in a new cabinet today amid disarray as nearly a third of the ministers and assistants named refused to take up their posts.
Mr Kibaki found himself in limbo as partners in the coalition that brought him to power in 2002 rejected his line-up, saying he ignored their input, packed the cabinet with allies and excluded cabinet dissidents who beat him in a constitutional referendum that triggered the government crisis.
Twenty-six ministers appeared and pledged to serve the east African nation of 32 million during a low-key ceremony at State House in the capital Nairobi.
Three ministers refused their jobs. Were more to refuse, they may have the numbers to win a no-confidence vote in parliament, forcing Mr Kibaki to call a snap election.
The next presidential and parliamentary elections in east Africa's biggest economy are due in 2007.
Mr Kibaki, addressing his newly sworn cabinet, made no reference to the missing ministers and said Kenyans would accept no excuses if government failed to bring pledged development and services.
The investiture went ahead despite pleas from some, including Nobel Laureate Wangari Maathai, for the ceremony to be postponed to allow time for negotiations to build unity.
Mr Kibaki (74), took office in late 2002 with a coalition government that united most of the major political and tribal alignments to end 39 years of rule by the Kenya African National Union party of former president Daniel arap Moi.