Azimio Stamps Foot After Gachagua's Dislike Of Bipartisan Talks

Nairobi Senator and Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Secretary General Edwin Sifuna on Wednesday, August 23 affirmed that Azimio la Umoja will not leave the negotiating table during the ongoing bipartisan talks, despite hardline opposition from pro-government allies.

Sifuna penned a lengthy X (formerly Twitter) statement revealing that the Raila Odinga-led coalition will keep fighting to have the cost of living across the country lowered, as it is an agenda in the talks with Kenya Kwanza.

He added that the coalition members would not be moved by a barrage of insults aimed at rattling them, assuring his followers that the talks were convened for the purposes of addressing Kenyans' issues as they are representing their interests.

Sifuna called on President William Ruto's government to address the affairs of the mwananchi before resorting to political insults against the opposition.

"We will keep pushing the remaining issues, especially on the cost of living. Now that we dragged the ostrich to the table, we will not allow it to leave until it hears us out. 

"They will throw snide remarks and insults to try and trigger us, but because this isn’t about us we will trudge on and make sure your message is delivered. Sort out Mwananchi issues and you are welcome to insult us all day," he stated.

According to Sifuna, a number of positives happening in the country which included the purported revival of subsidies on fuel products are a result of persistent noise by the opposition to the government to address their demands.

"It appears sense is starting to prevail. The backtracking on the disastrous GtoG oil importation program, the return of fuel subsidies, the backtracking on the privatization of sugar mills, the writing off of their debts, backtracking by the regime on Privatization without parliamentary approval, are all indicators that our “noise” works," he added.

Sifuna was apparently responding to Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua who dismissed the talks claiming that nothing will come out of the dialogue that was expected to unlock the standoff between the government and the opposition.

Speaking on Tuesday, August 22 at the burial ceremony of the late Anne Musau, who is the mother of Mwala MP Vincent Musyoka (Kawaya), in Machakos, Gachagua claimed that the talks were only meant to hoodwink Kenyans since Raila apparently met with President Ruto and made his agenda clear on what he wants.

According to the deputy president, following the series of anti-government protests that had rocked the country, Raila privately met with President Ruto in Mombasa where he agreed to call for a truce but on condition that his personal demands are met.

Among those personal requests, Gachagua claimed, was a handshake that would see him get into a coalition government with President Ruto, the second consecutive time he would get into such a deal following a similar one with former President Uhuru Kenyatta.

Gachagua also alleged that Odinga also asked for three ambassadorial positions; demands that were all declined and that he was only offered a send-off package on condition he retires politically.

The DP also claimed that in the agenda, the opposition leader side-lined his Azimio coalition co-principal Kalonzo Musyoka only to later have him be the Azimio coalition delegation leader at the bipartisan talks.

“These talks being led by Kalonzo, there is nothing to wait from there. 2018 Raila went into a handshake with Uhuru and did not tell Kalonzo, let alone tag him along. He struck his deal with Uhuru and got done with it. He took all the projects from Uhuru and moved them to his home turf. Is there a project he brought here? But you people even after he did you that way, you looked for him and failed alongside him.

"Now he has looked for the President the other day, he didn't come with Kalonzo. There is nothing he talked about with Kalonzo other than his personal affairs, that of his children, his wife and their people. In the talks, he has now sent Kalonzo...in the agenda, there is no discussions on water for Ukambani, fertiliser or roads, in the talks, what is there for the Kamba people?" Gachagua posed.

Raila and Kalonzo are yet to respond to Gachagua's allegations.