Kenya's President and future Prime Minister yesterday said they had made "substantial progress" at talks to end an impasse over a power-sharing Cabinet and expected to clinch a deal to day.

The Cabinet is the key element of a deal brokered in February to end the east African nation's bloodiest political crisis, a post-election spasm of rioting and ethnic slaughter that killed at least 1,200 people and displaced 300,000.

"We have had a lengthy consultation throughout the day on the formation of a grand coalition government. In this regard we have made substantial progress," President Mwai Kibaki and opposition leader Raila Odinga said in a joint statement.

The two sides had planned to name the Cabinet yesterday, but disagreement over the division of ministries scuttled that plan and forced the two leaders to hold the last-minute meeting.

"We appeal to all Kenyans to be patient and assure them that we expect to successfully conclude the consultations tomorrow," said the statement, issued after talks adjourned for the night.

The two leaders have been under heavy local and international pressure to break a month-long deadlock over the Cabinet. On Thursday they said they had agreed on how to share 40 ministerial jobs and pledged to name the cabinet on Sunday.

But bickering broke out immediately, and on Saturday the two sides said the Cabinet naming would be delayed.