The former Kenyan opposition party that agreed a power-sharing accord with President Mwai Kibaki said on Thursday any attempt to undermine the pact could provoke more violence in the east African country.

The Orange Democratic Movement -- the largest party in parliament -- was responding to comments by the civil service head implying it would take second rank in government.

After weeks of mediation by former U.N. boss Kofi Annan and pressure from round the world, Kibaki and ODM leader Raila Odinga signed a deal last month to end the crisis over a disputed December election that killed more than 1,000 people.

But the agreement is yet to be ratified by parliament.

And details such as the powers of a new prime minister's post likely to go to Odinga, division of cabinet jobs, and the makeup of the civil service, are proving contentious.

ODM secretary-general Anyang' Nyong'o said anyone trying to undermine the principle of 50-50 power-sharing that both sides' leader had agreed would endanger the fragile peace in Kenya.

"Any attempt by anybody to ridicule this noble initiative by introducing a hierarchy of relationship between the two parties or the two leaders goes contrary to the spirit and letter of the Grand Coalition and risks causing unnecessary political discomfort," Nyong'o told a news conference.

"The people of Kenya have pinned their hopes for the restoration of peace in our country on the success of the accord and the smooth working of the Grand Coalition. This includes implementing the 50 percent share in the whole government."

ARMED GANGS

Earlier this week, the head of the public service, Francis Muthaura, upset ODM by stating that Kibaki retained power to appoint the new prime minister.

Muthaura also implied the premier's post would be third in rank after the vice-president. And he said that the accord "does not include sharing of jobs in the public service."

Asked whether such comments could provoke more violence, Nyong'o said yes, and added that the statement had brought renewed calls for mass action from ODM supporters.

"We would not like people to be put under undue stress," he said. "We didn't do it because we love grand coalitions. When we go to the butcher's shop, it is not for the love of the cow that we buy meat. It's because there is a necessity to live."

ODM says Kibaki stole the vote through fraud, while the government accused the then opposition of deliberately stoking violence against government supporters.

As well as the 1,000 people killed in the post-election violence, 300,000 were made homeless.

The crisis, the worst since independence from Britain in 1963, wrecked Kenya's reputation for stability and also dented one of Africa's most promising economies.

Kenyans say low-level violence -- including occasional machete attacks and burning of homes among different ethnic groups -- is still simmering in some rural areas.

And non governmental organisations warn that gangs loyal to Kibaki on one side and Odinga on the other remain armed.