Bipartisan talks co-chair George Murugara on Thursday, May 25, revealed that Kenya Kwanza was ready to resume talks and invited the Azimio team for a consensus on Monday, May 29.
Speaking during a press briefing in Nairobi, the Kenya Kwanza bipartisan team appealed to their Azimio counterparts avoid so many demands that could hinder the negotiations.
Tharaka Member of parliament (MP) Muragura urged Rarieda lawmaker who is also co-chair of the bipartisan team Otiende Amollo to lead the Azimio team back to the table for negotiations.
“We are confident that we shall overcome all roadblocks in the talks because we are committed to ensure we arrive at a fruitful conclusion,” Muragura confirmed.
The Kenya Kwanza team maintained that there was enough time left for the talks, adding that there were even provisions allowing the team to extend the time when necessary.
Nominated Senator Esther Okenyuri called on the Azimio team to put the interests of the nation first and consider continuing with the talks.
“We don’t have to always keep the country on tenterhooks, the demand by Azimio was premature, Kenya Kwanza is ready and willing to proceed with the Bipartisan Talks,” stated Okenyuri.
The Kenya Kwanza team held the briefing after the Azimio team on Tuesday suspended the talks.
Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna on Tuesday, May 23, stated that the Azimio coalition had, once again, called off the bipartisan talks after the committees failed to agree on four fundamental demands.
In a statement, the Senator noted that the suspension came after the Azimio team could not persuade its Kenya Kwanza counterparts to agree on the terms of engagement.
The issues they differed on included lowering the cost of unga, preservation of the election servers, suspension of IEBC reconstitution and for the Ruto regime to stop meddling in Jubilee Party affairs.
“We have had to suspend the bipartisan dialogue after we could not persuade our friends from Kenya Kwanza to concede to some common sense interim measures namely; lowering of the cost of unga, preservation of the election servers, suspension of IEBC reconstitution and for them to leave Jubilee alone,” read part of Sifuna’s statement.
Further, Azimio leader Raila Odinga on May 22, emphasized that if the Kenya Kwanza team was unable to meet their demands, they would call off the talks and resume the nationwide protests.
Earlier on March 17, both parties issued additional demands as the talk continued writing to the National Assembly and Senate Speakers to seek additional funds to facilitate the deliberations.
Otiende Amollo further revealed that they had already formed a sub-committee to prioritise the reconstitution of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) selection panel.
On the other hand, the Council of Governors (CoG) on May 2, appointed Bungoma Governor Kenneth Lusaka to spearhead talks between the Kenya Kwanza government and Azimio la Umoja team.
Lusaka was tasked to lead a 10-member committee of governors that was formed to initiate talks between President William Ruto and Azimio leader Raila Odinga.
