Kalonzo, Wamalwa: Ready for protests if Bomas talks implementation halted

Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka has said the opposition will return to the streets if the National Dialogue Committee (Nadco) report on electoral justice recommendations is stopped.

He was speaking a day after Lady Justice Dora Chepkwony blocked Parliament from appointing a panel to audit the 2022 presidential election, a key recommendation of the Nadco team that met in Bomas following a ceasefire deal between President William Ruto and opposition leader Raila Odinga.

Mr Musyoka, who co-chaired the committee with National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung'wah, described Friday's orders as a plot to go against what was agreed at Bomas.

The report was prepared by both Azimio and the Kenya Kwanza coalitions through their representatives last year.

"Kenya Kwanza has never had goodwill and faith. The problem in Kenya is this kind of politics that lies all the time. This State-sponsored court action must stop," said Mr Musyoka.

Speaking in Lunga Lunga sub-county, Mr Musyoka, accompanied by Democratic Action Party (DAP-K) leader Eugene Wamalwa, said they were ready to return to street demonstrations to help the Azimio Coalition have a say in electoral justice.

The Nadco Bomas talks team was formed after prolonged street protests by the Raila Odinga-led Azimio to iron out issues raised by the team and those the government said were important to them.

A report by the team has since been endorsed by parliament, with bills being drafted from it and now being processed by various parliamentary committees.

In good faith

For his part, Mr Wamalwa said the government was not acting in good faith before, during or after the Nadco talks, hence the need to influence the court's verdict.

"Kenyans asked for the servers to be opened so that they could know the truth. This audit is what they wanted to stop," said Mr Wamalwa.

He added that the National Assembly's Justice and Legal Affairs Committee (JLAC) was delaying action on the report, which he claimed was a deliberate attempt to derail the court's implementation.

"Choices have consequences. We are ready to go back to maandamano (street protests)," he added.

The leaders were accompanied by other Wiper MPs who said Kenyans should support Mr Musyoka after Orange Democratic Party leader Raila Odinga announced he was seeking the chairmanship of the African Union Commission.

The party is trying to strengthen its roots in Kwale County after opening a party office in Kinondo, Msambweni Sob County, while it plans to hold more meetings in Ukunda and Likoni towns.

On Friday, the High Court suspended the implementation of the National Dialogue Committee's report pending the outcome of a case brought by activist Michael Muchemi.

Mr Muchemi had argued that the Nadco report challenged the Kenyan constitution by proposing an election audit outside the law.