Negotiations between the government and the Opposition seeking to end a political stalemate arising from the disputed presidential poll among other issues have been stonewalled by a disagreement over the composition of a parliamentary team leading the talks.
Representatives of President William Ruto and Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition Party leader Raila Odinga yesterday suspended engagement pending resolution of the impasse.
The 14-member team that is co-chaired by MPs Otiende Amollo (Rarieda, ODM) and George Murugara (Tharaka, UDA) held its second meeting at Crowne Plaza Hotel in Nairobi, where the rival camps failed to agree on the inclusion of Eldas MP Adan Keynan (Jubilee) and his Pokot South counterpart David Pkosing (KUP) in the joint committee.
In separate press briefings, Dr Amollo and Mr Murugara appeared to read from different scripts, with the Azimio representative insisting that the talks had hit a dead end until the issue at hand is tackled.
The Azimio team cited a letter by the Registrar of Political Parties Anne Nderitu confirming that the Jubilee Party and Kenya Union Party (KUP) had not deposited any post-election agreement with her office and were still members of the Opposition coalition.
The Kenya Kwanza Alliance had last week replied to the demand to remove Mr Keynan with a call to also remove Mr Pkosing from the Azimio negotiation team, whom they argued was now on Dr Ruto’s side after his party leader, former West Pokot governor Prof John Lonyangapuo, ditched Mr Odinga for Dr Ruto.
“We have hit a stalemate and suspended these talks until such time that there might be consensus ... or the position changes,” said Dr Amollo.
The second-term MP also pointed to the failure to agree on the nature of the talks, that is, whether they would be purely parliamentary or involve other figures from outside Parliament.
“We [talked amongst] ourselves [as well as] the appointing authorities [but] were unable to [agree] and that is why we have not told you that we are adjourning because we think it will be a waste of time.”
“So until the issues are resolved, the talks remain suspended so that we do not give people false hope that there are talks going on,” said Dr Amollo.
The Azimio team suggested three scenarios to resolve the Keynan-Pkosing impasse. Firstly, the two could withdraw from the team of their own volition. Secondly, their parties could recall them, and third, the decision could be left to President Ruto and Mr Odinga.
Mr Murugara, taking a contrary viewpoint, said the talks were adjourned to allow him and Dr Amollo to meet President Ruto and Mr Odinga — or their representatives — to find a solution and report on the progress to the country on Friday.
From left: Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale, Bomet Senator Hillary Sigei, Tharaka MP George Murugara and Nominated Senator Essy Okenyuri address journalists after Kenya Kwanza and Azimio bipartisan talks at Crown Plaza Hotel in Nairobi on August 25, 2023.
Photo credit: Bonface Bogita | Nation Media Group
Dr Amollo revealed that, during yesterday’s meeting, the joint committee had set out five agenda items — constitution of the secretariat, institution and composition of the team, nature of the talks, framework agreement and any other business, with the issue of the secretariat being addressed following a consensus to have joint secretaries.
“We were able to agree that each of the teams should forward one name for now that will act as a joint secretary to the joint committee. Azimio fronted the name of advocate Paul Mwangi and there was no objection from Kenya Kwanza,” Dr Amollo said.
Mr Murugara concurred, saying, the Kenya Kwanza team would reveal the name of its joint secretary in due course. But according to Dr Amollo, the talks cannot proceed as their objection remains a matter of principle.
“Azimio takes the view that the inclusion of Keynan is one that affects the issue of principle. It’s not just about composition. It’s an issue of principle because he is a member of Jubilee Party, which is part of the Azimio coalition.”
“One of the issues we have raised is about party discipline and party hopping. It goes to the principle of the talks because if we allow Keynan to be part of the talks, it will amount to dropping [party hopping] as one of the four key issues to be addressed,” the Rarieda legislator asserted.
He went on: “It must be noted that the agreement which Jubilee became part of Azimio before elections has never changed to date. Jubilee has not signed any post-election agreement with Kenya Kwanza.”
In her letter dated yesterday and addressed to National Assembly Minority Leader Opiyo Wandayi, Ms Nderitu, affirmed Azimio’s assertion on the status of Mr Keynan’s Jubilee and Mr Pkosing’s KUP, stating that the two outfits have no agreement with President Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza Alliance.
“This office has no official record of any coalition agreement that involves Kenya Union Party, Jubilee Party and Kenya Kwanza coalition,” Ms Nderitu told Mr Wandayi in the letter.
Jubilee and KUP, Dr Amollo said, “have not exercised their rights under the coalition agreement to withdraw from Azimio and, as such, there is no way one member of Jubilee who is still part of Azimio can be part of the membership of the opposite team.”
Dr Amollo further pointed out that Mr Keynan is also the vice chair of the Azimio Executive Council, deputising Mr Wycliffe Oparanya.
“On the objection to [Mr] Pkosing’s inclusion, we have discussed and have not had any issue of principle on why Kenya Kwanza is objecting to his inclusion in our team. [Mr] Pkosing is a member of KUP, which signed a pre-election agreement with Azimio and remains part of Azimio,’ said Dr Amollo.
He also noted that Mr Pkosing is the KUP deputy party leader and also holds the position of deputy treasurer in Azimio to date.
“We believe that the objection of [Mr] Pkosing is an afterthought, meant to counter our objection to [Mr] Keynan so that it appears that the objections are on the same pedestal, but they are not. It is an afterthought, in bad faith and, therefore, we are not prepared to concede,” said Dr Amollo.
Mr Murugara, on the other hand, defended their stand to have Mr Keynan be part of the Kenya Kwanza team and the objection against Mr Pkosing’s inclusion in the Azimio side.
“We have heard Azimio’s position but I want to state that on the issue of [Mr] Keynan and [Mr]Pkosing, there is the legal position — de jure — and factual position — de facto. The positions stated by Azimio and the Registrar of Political Parties may be correct, but, as a matter of fact, that may not be the case because we all know what has happened to Jubilee as far as Azimio is concerned,” Mr Murugara said.
“The same scenario applies to the other side. KUP has already expressed its intention to leave Azimio and work with Kenya Kwanza. That is the position as we speak,” the Tharaka legislator said.
The MP maintained that the President’s side was, however, committed to the talks despite the emerging disputes.
“We have come with open hearts, open hands and utmost good faith to discuss and agree on how to solve the issues that affect our country today as we speak. Those issues have not been brought before the committee yet, but we are aware of them from the press and from the written communications from various sides,” he said.
He noted that Kenya Kwanza remains 100 per cent committed “to ensuring that these talks are carried through until the country realises its benefits so that we all live harmoniously and we have faith in our country and its leadership.”
The 14 members who met yesterday were, from Kenya Kwanza; Mr Keynan, Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale, Mr Murugara, nominated Senator Essy Okenyuri, Kibwezi West MP Mwengi Mutuse, Taita Taveta Woman Rep Lydia Haika and Bomet Senator Hillary Sigei.
On the Azimio side were Dr Amollo, Senators Edwin Sifuna (Nairobi), Enoch Wambua (Kitui) and Ledama Ole Kina (Narok), as well as MPs David Pkosing (Pokot South), Millie Odhiambo (Suba North) and Amina Mnyanzi (Malindi).
Meanwhile, National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula has said Parliament is best suited to deliver the country from a political crisis by midwifing talks between the government and the Opposition.
Azimio led by Mr Odinga, has wanted a process that will include other figures from outside Parliament to deliver a solution akin to the National Accord that was signed to end the 2007/2008 post-election violence. But Mr Wetang'ula said the parliament-led process will resolve the political standoff.
The Opposition has announced a return to mass protests starting next Tuesday, citing a lack of goodwill from President Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza administration.
But, speaking in Bungoma County during a funds drive yesterday, Mr Wetang'ula said he is ready to facilitate the discussions that will resolve the crisis facing the country.
Mr Wetang'ula lauded the decision by Dr Ruto and Mr Odinga to choose bipartisan negotiations to resolve the political stand-off and termed it as a "noble idea and a show of statesmanship".
"Kenya is for us all. When you compete in a General Election and you win, you become the President of everyone — those who voted for you and those who did not."
The Speaker said President Ruto has reaffirmed his commitment to talks with any leader for the prosperity of the country. He reiterated the calls by Dr Ruto that the talk should not be centred on last year’s General Elections, noting that the outcome was a result of a credible process.
The Opposition is calling for a reduction in the high cost of living, the opening of the IEBC servers and reinstatement of the commissioners who were shown the door by a tribunal over their conduct during the August 9 General Election.
Mr Wetang'ula however explained that it was wrong to blame the President for the high cost of living. He said the current budget was prepared by President Uhuru Kenyatta’s administration.
