The Kenyan government on Tuesday called on rival Somali factions to resolve their long standing differences and work toward the restoration of political stability in the lawless nation.

Kenya's Foreign Affairs Minister Chirau Mwakwere said his country remains committed to work closely with the Somali transitional federal government in ensuring that Somalia takes her rightful place among the community of nations.

"I urge all members of the transitional federal government of Somalia to unite and work toward the reestablishment of political stability," the minister told reporters after signing technical and economic cooperation agreement with Somalia in Nairobi.

The Somalia's transitional institutions have been divided over where the seat of government should be in their country after their relocation from Nairobi in June this year.

President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed, Prime Minister Ali Mohammed Gedi and their supporters in the transitional institutions relocated to the town of Jowhar, 90 km north of the capital Mogadishu.

They maintain that Mogadishu must be secured before they can transfer the government to the city.

About 100 members of the 275-strong transitional federal parliament, led by Speaker Sharif Hassan Sheikh Aden, are in Mogadishu attempting to restore stability to the war-scarred city.

A section of the government, including several prominent faction leaders, strongly disagreed with the decision to install the administration in Jowhar.

The proposed deployment of peacekeepers, particularly from Somalia's neighbors, has also deeply divided the new government.

Gedi who attended the signing ceremony downplayed the existence of factions within the government, saying what was being witnessed was divergent views.

"There are no splinter groups under the transitional government of Somalia. The transitional government is one. There are differences of opinion and this is well over the world. There is no Mogadishu group since the transitional government is operating even in Mogadishu and my government is for reconciliation," Gedi told reporters.

"We will accommodate differences of opinion through dialogue and understanding for the common goal and for the interests of Somalia and the region as well for the sake of security," he said.

Somalia has had no operational government for the past 14 years, following the collapse in 1991 of the government of the late president Muhammad Siad Barre. Civil war erupted soon after Barre was toppled, as various factions leaders fought for power.

Source: Xinhua