Azimio Calls Off Thursday Protests After Kenya Kwanza Drops Adan Keynan
Kalonzo expressed the coalition's readiness to return to the talks and forego the weekly protests.
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UPDATE: The Azimio la Umoja coalition has suspended its countrywide protests scheduled for Thursday, May 4.
Leader of Minority in the National Assembly, Opiyo Wandayi, revealed in a statement that the decision was arrived at following the decision by Kenya Kwanza to accede to one of its demands that informed the resumption of mass action; that is the recusion of Adan Keynan from its bipartisan line-up.
"Instead of holding the protests, we have summoned our seven-member delegation to the bipartisan committee for fresh instructions to inform further engagement with the Kenya Kwanza side.
"As a party, we express deep gratitude to all Kenyans who have participated in the demonstrations in defence of justice and democracy in our country. We also wish to reiterate that we will not hesitate to resume mass action at the slightest indication of lack of goodwill and honesty on Kenya Kwanza side," Wandayi warned.
Azimio further sent a strong warning to Kenya Kwanza over interference in the internal affairs of Azimio and its affiliate parties, including Jubilee.
"Tomorrow, the 4th of May 2023, we expect nothing but very clear and categorical communication from the Speaker of the National Assembly on the decision by Azimio to remove the former Deputy Minority Whip Sabina Chege. Any departure from our expectation will have serious consequences," added Wandayi
Wiper Party Leader, Kalonzo Musyoka has announced that the Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya coalition is prepared to call off its anti-government demonstrations planned for Thursday, May 4 to return to the bipartisan talks with the Kenya Kwanza government.
In a statement he shared on Twitter on Wednesday, May 3, Kalonzo expressed the coalition's readiness to return to the talks and forego the weekly protests.
However, he stated that Kenya Kwanza should drop Eldas Member of Parliament (MP) Adan Keynan from the 14-member bipartisan committee and announces his replacement at the same time.
Eldas MP Adan Keynan during a past Parliament session. /FILE
"We, in Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya, announce, on a without prejudice basis, that we are prepared to go back to the Bipartisan talks with our opposite side in Kenya Kwanza and are prepared to stand down the demonstration scheduled for tomorrow Thursday, 4th May 2023, provided that Kenya Kwanza recuses Hon. Adan Keynan from the bipartisan Committee and immediately announces his replacement on the said Committee.
"This was the offer I made on Sunday at the Cathedral of Praise Ministries International. All our other conditions remain the same," stated Kalonzo.
Kenya Kwanza moments later yielded to Azimio's demands and announced that Keynan had recused himself from the committee.
"We welcome the statement by the Azimio One Kenya alliance on the resumption of the Bipartisan talks. We appreciate the conciliatory route taken by our Azimio counterparts to engage in talks and stand down the planned street demonstrations should Kenya Kwanza recuse Eldas Member of Parliament, Adan Keynan.
"As we have always stated, we are willing to bend backwards for the sake of the progress of the country, national unity, and stability of the nation. We have consulted with Mweshimiwa Keynan and the Coalition's top leadership and the Hon Aden Wehliye Keynan has graciously agreed in the greater interest of the county to recuse himself from the bi-partisan committee," the statement read out by Senate Majority Leader, Aaron Cheruiyot and signed by National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung'wah, stated in part.
Kenya Kwanza nominated Saku Member of Parliament (MP) Ali Rasso Dido as Keynan's replacement.
The developments came after the stalemate over the bipartisan talks drew the attention of the Council of Governors (CoG) which formed a 10-member committee to oversee talks between Kenya Kwanza and Azimio.
Bungoma Governor Kenneth Lusaka was chosen to lead the committee whose goal will be to initiate talks between President William Ruto and Azimio leader Raila Odinga.
CoG chairperson Anne Waiguru (Kirinyaga County) was selected as a member of the team alongside Ahmed Abdullahi (Wajir County), and Stephen Sang (Nandi County).
Others included Fatuma Achani (Kwale), Mutahi Kahiga (Nyeri), Simba Arati (Kisii), Joseph Ole Lenku (Kajiado), Wavinya Ndeti (Machakos), and Ochillo Ayacko (Migori).
"The purpose of the committee will be to engage the leaders from the two political divides to address the ongoing demonstrations and amicable solutions to ensure stability in the country," read part of the CoG statement.
The intervention by CoG came after the original bipartisan talks collapsed owing to disagreements regarding the inclusion of MPs Adan Keynan (Eldas) and David Pkosing (Pokot South) to the bipartisan committee, and had shown signs of not reviving after Azimio returned to mass action.
The 14-member committee was to hold a meeting on Tuesday, May 2, but it failed to take off after the Azimio team failed to turn up while demanding Keynan's withdrawal.
"We have an issue with Azimio, they want talks and demonstrations, there can't be both, we either talk or they demonstrate, and we call on them to resume the talks,” Tharaka MP George Murugara urged.
Murugara, who is the co-chair of the committee said his counterpart Otiende Amollo refused to honour the invite although he remained hopeful that reason will prevail.
However, in a quick rejoinder, the Azimio team insisted that Keynan must be withdrawn from the committee for talks to resume, with Amollo stating that it was insincere for the Kenya Kwanza coalition to have included Keynan in the team.
Amollo further dismissed the demand for demonstrations to be called off for talks to resume.
