President William Ruto and Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition leader Raila Odinga have held the first in a series of talks mediated by former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo to iron out differences between the Kenya Kwanza government and the opposition.
Former Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya revealed this during a media conference called by the Azimio coalition in Nairobi.
Munya said Ruto and Odinga have already met to lay the framework for the dialogue, telling reporters that no conclusion has however been reached yet.
“There was a meeting chaired by Hom Obasanjo. Baba (Odinga) accepted to be in that meeting because of his respect for Hon. Obasanjo.
That meeting did not conclude on any issues. It was a meeting to agree on when and how to hold talks,” Munya said.
Munya termed it “unacceptable and misleading” for the Kenya Kwanza faction to issue statements purporting to be Azimio La Umoja issues.
He was referring to a statement issued Saturday by National Assembly majority leader Kimani Ichung’wah, who claimed the talks would revolve around the reconstitution of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, implementation of the two-thirds gender rule, entrenchment of the Constituency Development Fund, establishment and the entrenchment of the Office of the Leader of the Opposition and embedment of the Office of Prime Cabinet Secretary.
But Munya said the Odinga-led coalition has already tabled a list of its priorities they want during the talks, the top of which is the demand for an immediate solution to the high cost of living.
“Our priority in the discussions is the high cost of living which has only gotten worse with lifting the conservatory order on the Finance Act 2023 last week.
We want to see immediate actions by the regime that will lead to the lowering of the cost of living,” he said.
Munya said they are still demanding an audit of the 2022 General Elections results and a probe into police brutality witnessed during the recent anti-government protests the opposition called to picket against the high cost of living.
“We will respect the issues Kenya Kwanza brings to the table and they must also respect ours.
We expect Kenya Kwanza to have no objection to our priorities,” Munya said and added that they will soon announce the names of the members they will field for the talks.
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On Saturday, National Assembly Minority Leader Opiyo Wandayi announced that the two disputing parties had agreed to involve the former Nigerian leader in the talks with each side required to pick five members.
Odinga previously called off demonstrations in April and May after Ruto agreed in principle to a dialogue which has failed to materialize, with both sides accusing each other of sabotage.
This time, however, the coalition says they will continue with their nationwide rallies alongside the bipartisan talks.
“As we continue to pursue discussion, we shall continue will our engagements with the people.
That right of association, expression, and assembly is in the constitution and we are not to negotiate that with anyone,” Munya said.
