Kenya Kwanza Unveils 5-Member Team For Talks With Raila

Kenya Kwanza has unveiled its list of members of its dialogue team tasked with negotiations with Raila Odinga's Azimio la Umoja coalition.

The leaders picked include National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung'wah and Leader of Majority of the Senate, Aaron Cheruiyot. Others include Governor Cecily Mbarire, Hassan Omar and Catherine Wambilianga.

"The Kenya Kwanza Coalition wishes to state the following;-

"That honouring the request by former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo not to be mentioned in any public statement, we regret the lack of decency by Azimio in not respecting this request. Azimio at the very least should have the decency to abide by the five issues agreed at the meeting," stated Kenya Kwanza in part.

National Assembly Majority Leader, Kimani Ichung'wah. /FILE

Kenya Kwanza reiterated that the five-member team is mandated to engage on the five-point agenda agreed upon namely; The Reconstitution of the IEBC Commission, the Implementation of 2/3 gender rule, the Entrenchment of the Constituency Development Fund (CDF), the Establishment and the entrenchment of the Office of the Leader of the Opposition and embedment of the Office of Prime Cabinet Secretary.

The ruling coalition also affirmed that it would not entertain any form of violence nor discussions aimed at Azimio getting a share of the government of the day.

"For the avoidance of doubt, as agreed, violence shall no longer and shall never be part of our nation's political discourse.

"As agreed, there shall be no discussion of whatever nature on matters handshake or "nusu mkate," added the coalition.

Azimio Talks Team

Kenya Kwanza is slated to face the Azimio team which is led by Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka and will include the following members; the Leader of the Minority Party in the National Assembly Opiyo Wandayi, DAP Party Leader Eugene Wamalwa, Nyamira Senator Okong’o Omogeni and Malindi MP Amina Mnyazi.

“Azimio will respect Kenya Kwanza's right to bring all its issues to the table. We expect Kenya Kwanza to do the same with our issues.

"The issues, which the team has instructions to put on the table are High Cost of Living, Audit of 2022 elections, Bipartisan Reconstitution of IEBC, Inclusivity in national affairs and Respect for Political Parties in line with the constitution,” Azimio revealed in a statement on Monday, July 31.

The Raila Odinga-led coalition also noted that it is keen on a time-bound program of talks that should begin on Tuesday, August 1, 2023, and take one month.

President William Ruto a day earlier confessed to meeting Azimio la Umoja leader, Raila Odinga but stated that he issued conditions which would guide their negotiations.

Speaking during the Interdenominational Church Service at Ukunda Showground in Kwale County, Ruto indicated that he had informed Raila and his team of Kenya's status as a democratic country guided by the Constitution and the rule of law.

He added that despite the numerous issues that they would disagree on, the one thing he told the former Prime Minister was that his government would not tolerate any leader; past, present or future, who will orchestrate the destruction of property during the anti-government protests.

“I talked with the opposition leader (Raila) and his team, I told them that we are a democratic country guided by the constitution and law. We can disagree on many issues but no present past or future leader will plan the violent destruction of property. That will never happen again in Kenya,” the President said.

“We can talk on other things but we are not going to negotiate about the safety of Kenya. We have agreed that violence and destruction of property will not be in the equation of the politics and governance of Kenya. The other things we can talk about."