Nairobi - Kenyan President Daniel arap Moi has backed an extended constitutional review that analysts say is designed to delay elections and prolong his 24-year rule.

Moi said he supported a plan by his ruling party Kanu to give more time to experts drafting a new constitution to complete their work before the next elections, which would require postponing polls due in December 2002.

"President Daniel arap Moi last night re-affirmed Kanu's commitment to a new constitutional dispensation before the next general elections," Moi was quoted as saying in a statement issued by his presidential press (PPS) service on Saturday.

The statement, reporting remarks made late on Friday, said Moi supported Kanu's request to extend the time allocated to the review commission to finish its work.

Analysts say the elections might be delayed until after October next year

Kanu has provoked a storm of criticism from Kenyans and Western donors by proposing to extend parliament and delay the elections to give the constitutional review commission time to put a new constitution in place ahead of the next polls.

Moi, one of Africa's longest-serving heads of state, is barred by the constitution from seeking re-election. Experts say that according to the current constitution Moi's term and parliament's life should expire early next year.

If Kanu's proposals to put back the elections go ahead, analysts say that the elections might be delayed until after October next year, when Moi would celebrate 25 years in power.

Analysts said Moi's comments showed he was intent on extending the life of parliament to prolong his rule, which began in 1978, and the tenure of Kanu, in power since independence from Britain in 1963.

"It is his proposal, it is he who is extending parliament, simply because he is not ready to go," said John Githongo, head of the Kenya branch of graft-watchdog Transparency International. "There's no way Kanu can put forward such a contentious proposal without the backing of Moi. It's all part of his plan."

Opposition leaders have slammed the proposals to extend parliament and vowed to cause civil unrest in the coffee-and tea-growing nation if Kanu pushes ahead with the move.

Moi's latest remarks appeared to contradict his previous reported comments that the elections would be held this year as scheduled.

Kanu has proposed to give the constitutional experts more time to finish their work by extending the commission's deadline to May 15, 2003, from their existing limit of October 2002.

Kanu legislators say that parliament will have to be extended to implement the constitution produced under the lengthier deadline.

Analysts say that implementation could take months, possibly until October next year, to allow for public debate on the new constitution or a referendum on its provisions. An extended assembly would in turn push back the elections.