Kenya Kwanza administration is burning the midnight oil to secure a deal with the opposition to end the anti-government protests.
This even as the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition Party maps out an intense two-month strategy for street demonstrations to put pressure on President William Ruto’s government to meet its irreducible minimums, which include addressing the high cost of living.
Insiders have confided in the Nation that the emissaries have roped in National Assembly Minority Whip Junet Mohamed, Azimio spokesman Prof Makau Mutua and a top government official in the security sector to lead the talks with a timeline of September 1.
On Monday, two Kenya Kwanza MPs also confirmed that talks are underway to seek a truce.
“Yes, we have reached out to Azimio. The country is facing a myriad of challenges that are beyond our reach. We are talking to their representatives,” said an MP in the leadership, but declined to confirm if it includes dishing out positions.
Last week, the Azimio leadership held their summit at the SKM Centre in Nairobi before heading to Kibra to launch the 10 million digital signatures collection drive.
“We have held 38 summits so far and Junet has not attended any of them. How can he mediate on our behalf, yet he has skipped many Azimio demonstrations. We are not going to entertain any engagements,” said a source close to the happenings.
Another MP added: “Our leaders like Martha Karua of Narc Kenya are very committed to this cause and have turned down many offers, insisting on the Azimio demands. She has remained steadfast and says she is not ready to abandon ship now.”
The Ruto camp’s latest approach is said to be causing ripples within the Azimio coalition, which is divided over whether to accept the overtures or reject them outright and continue with the demonstrations.
Ms Karua is reported to have issued a warning that Azimio members should not fall prey to the government’s move.
On the table are two offers to institutionalise the office of the leader of the official opposition in Parliament, with Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka in the National Assembly and his deputy, Ms Karua, in the Senate.
The Kenya Kwanza side also wants Azimio leader Raila Odinga to agree to be nominated for the chairmanship of the African Union Commission (AUC) when it falls vacant, or for the opposition to agree to shelve protests and work closely with the government.
Six years ago, Kenya contested for the AUC seat, but then-CS Amina Mohamed lost to Chad's foreign minister, Moussa Faki Mahamat.
A four-year term, renewable once, the holder of the position is elected by the AU Assembly, made up of AU Heads of State and Government.
Then-South Sudan’s ambassador to Ethiopia, James Morgan, said Kenya had failed to persuade even some of its closest allies in East Africa to vote for Ms Mohamed.
Similarly, Kenya has a pure presidential system with a majority and minority leadership in Parliament, and there are fears that the opposition leader’s position could be at the top of the pecking order.
Azimio executive chairman Wycliffe Oparanya called any attempt by Kenya Kwanza to lure them into abandoning their people-oriented agenda a bluff.
“There is no such thing. We don't want positions. The demonstrations are about the high cost of living and other issues affecting Kenyans. We want the government to ease the living conditions so that they can deal with secondary issues,” Mr Oparanya said.
“The UDA side is hell-bent on killing the constituent parties of Azimio, but they want an active opposition. They should stay away from the Azimio parties’ affairs,” said Mr Murathe, referring to the Political Parties Dispute Tribunal ruling on the protracted leadership tussle.
However, ODM Secretary-General and Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna questioned how Mr Musyoka and Ms Karua will make it to Parliament as the move will require a constitutional amendment despite the President’s memo on the same.
There is an existing petition before the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee of the National Assembly.
“We are not aware of any such plans. They don’t usually tell us about such things. There is a fear that if such plans are known to some of us, we might scuttle them,” said Mr Sifuna.
National Assembly Minority Leader Opiyo Wandayi also weighed in. “We do not want destruction. We are focused on fighting for Kenyans to ensure that the cost of living is reduced and their rights as enshrined in the Constitution are protected,” he said. “Anything else is a distraction.”
Last Monday, before Mr Odinga left home for work using public transport, Mr Mohamed reportedly engaged him on the issue.
“Maandamano is on and nobody has reached out to me. I don’t know why people like me. I have also not seen Jakom (Mr Odinga) in a week now,” he said.
Senate Deputy Minority Leader Senator Enoch Wambua said the easiest way to resolve the current impasse between the government and the opposition is to address the high cost of living.
“We can break ranks here. We are not protesting for positions; that's not what we are looking for. We are fighting for the lowering of living costs, we are fighting for the truth to be told about what happened on August 9 and we are fighting for the expansion of the democratic space,” Mr Wambua said.
The Kitui senator added: “We did not give our principals positions. We had structured talks sanctioned by both sides. Azimio went to the table with utmost good faith. But for the government, it was an extension of political games.”
The protests have also drawn in former Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya, who is also the leader of the Party of National Unity.
In an interview with a local station, Mr Munya said the main agenda of the rallies is the unbearably high cost of living.
“If being arrested will make the situation better, then I'm ready to be arrested and even detained,” Mr Munya said.
