President William Ruto on Monday, August 7, appeared to soften Kenya Kwanza's hardline stance ahead of talks with Raila Odinga's Azimio la Umoja One Kenya team, saying he was ready to dialogue with the opposition on all issues but not the "handshake".
On Monday, August 7, while touring Mt Kenya region, President Ruto said he was ready to discuss opposition issues as long as the talks did not touch on nusu mkate and violence.
"...if we agree on those two, that there is no handshake and there is no violence, then we can move forward as a country and discuss the rest of the things."
"We can discuss all the other issues, but two issues are not on the dialogue table - nusu mkate and violence. Kenyans have rejected chaos, violence and destruction of property," the President said during his meet the people tour in Nyeri.
He said Kenya was a peaceful and democratic country governed by the rule of law, adding that the opposition should continue to play its opposition role, criticising the government but not engaging in violence and "calls for nusu mkate".
Nusu mkate refers to a coalition government or government of national unity, similar to the grand coalition government that brought together Mr Odinga and former President Mwai Kibaki after the disputed 2007 presidential election.
On the other hand, "handshake" is a term coined after the March 9, 2018 truce between Mr Odinga and immediate former president Uhuru Kenyatta, which ended months of political turmoil in the country following the disputed August 2017 presidential election, which was later annulled by the Supreme Court.
President Ruto's camp had earlier set its conditions for dialogue on just five issues, including the reconstitution of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), the implementation of the two-thirds gender rule, the entrenchment of the Constituency Development Fund (CDF), the establishment and entrenchment of the office of the Leader of the Opposition and the entrenchment of the office of the Cabinet Secretary.
On the other hand, Mr Odinga's Azimio also insisted on five issues including escalating cost of living, inclusivity, audit of 2022 elections and non-partisan reconstitution of IEBC, accountability and responsibility for brutality and abuse of human rights of protesters and respect for autonomy and independence of political parties.
But even as Dr Ruto spoke harshly about the handshake during his Mt Kenya tour, Mr Odinga on Sunday had reiterated that he was not seeking a share in the Ruto government, saying he did not want to be part of a "tainted government riddled with corruption scandals".
"I cannot shake Ruto's hand. I don't want to because it will tarnish my image. His government is riddled with scandals and corruption. You have stolen, but know that Kenya does not belong to you alone. It belongs to all of us," Mr Odinga told a congregation in Nyamira County.
National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung'wah, the lead negotiator for President Ruto's camp, also echoed the Head of State's position on the talks, saying they were now ready for talks as long as they did not touch on the handshake.
Mr Ichung'wah said they had agreed with Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, the lead Azimio negotiator, to meet at the Bomas of Kenya on Wednesday August 7 to start the talks.
"We are ready to engage with you on the basis of mutual respect, not threats and blackmail. You cannot blackmail us that if we don't do what you want, you will take to the streets," said Mr Ichung'wah.
He continued: "We have agreed that on Wednesday at 11.30am we will meet in a public place - the Bomas of Kenya and we want cameras in that meeting so that you tell us and the people of Kenya want to hear what you are going to do in that room."
The Kikuyu MP said he was glad that Mr Odinga had publicly stated that he was not seeking a nusu mkate .
"Raila has already said that he does not want nusu mkate . If we are not talking about nusu mkate , then we are talking," he said.
He was speaking as Mr Odinga met his coalition team at Nairobi's Serena Hotel for consultations ahead of the Wednesday talks.
Mr Odinga's coalition has Mr Musyoka as its team leader with DAP-Kenya leader Eugene Wamalwa, National Assembly minority leader Opiyo Wandayi, Nyamira Senator Okong'o Omogeni and Malindi MP Amina Mnyazi as members.
Addressing journalists after the consultative meeting, Mr Musyoka confirmed that they will hold a joint meeting with the Kenya Kwanza team at the Bomas of Kenya tomorrow at 11:30am.
"It has now been decided that we will meet at the Bomas on Wednesday at 11:30 am. So today and tomorrow we will be doing our internal consultations so that when we meet on Wednesday we will be able to make as much progress as possible," Mr Musyoka said.
Asked if they were concerned about Kenya Kwanza's public statements on the direction of the talks, Mr Musyoka said: "I don't want to talk about that. It's not for us to talk about it."
"We are focused on Wednesday. People can say what's on their minds or what suits them best but we have a nation to look after and therefore we will negotiate in good faith on our part and anything that smacks of bad faith, I'm sure Kenyans will be able to see," said the former vice president.
The Kenya Kwanza team is led by Mr Ichung'wah and includes Senate Majority Leader Aaron Cheruiyot, Embu Governor Cecily Mbarire, Bungoma woman rep Catherine Wambilianga and East African Legislative Assembly member Hassan Omar.
