The troops bitterly clashed over the item(s) for the negotiation by the parliamentary team to sustain the ceasefire that halted protests by the opposition.
Kenya Kwanza released a seven-member team of negotiators after holding a Parliamentary Group meeting at State House in Nairobi.
The team includes senators Boni Khalwale (Kakamega), Hillary Sigei (Bomet), Esther Okenyuri (nominated), and MPs George Murugara (Tharaka), Mwangi Mutuse (Kibwezi West) and Adan Keynan (Eldas).
The team will face that of Azimio, which is comprised of seasoned parliamentarians and prominent lawyers.
Azimio's team has senators Edwin Sifuna (Nairobi), Enoch Wambua (Kitui), Ledama Olekina (Narok), and MPs Otiende Amollo (Rarieda), David Pkosing (Pokot South), Millie Odhiambo (Suba North) and Amina Mnyanzi (Malindi).
“The PG reaffirms our commitment to the rule of law and constitutionalism,” National Assembly Majority leader Kimani Ichung'wah said.
He said they will limit the talks to recruitment of the IEBC commissioners.
However, Azimio questioned the calibre and composition of the Kenya Kwanza team, saying it includes legislators who legally belong to the opposition coalition.
“You cannot have your cake and eat it. Hon Keynan can’t belong to Azimio and at the same time belong to Kenya Kwanza,” National Assembly Minority leader Opiyo Wandayi protested.
The names of the 14 members will be tabled in the two Houses for approval. The negotiators will sit on an ad hoc committee to unlock the impasse that saw opposition and their supporters take to the streets.
The Kenya Kwanza legislators maintained that they will not engage with the opposition outside Parliament.
The opposition wants the government to open the IEBC servers to ascertain the true winner of last year’s presidential contest, reduce the cost of unga, fuel, electricity and school fees.
“Conduct a review and forensic audit of the servers used by the IEBC before, during and after the 2022 presidential election,” Raila said during Azimio meeting in Machakos last week.
“Review the appointment and dismissal of IEBC commissioners, including their tenure of office, and recommend institutional, policy, legal and constitutional mechanisms, restructuring and reforms of the IEBC.”
The former Prime Minister further wants the team to consider restructuring the IEBC by devolving structures to counties and look into whether there is a need for permanent commissioners to man the devolved IEBC in the counties.
But Ichung’wah and Senate Majority leader Aaron Cheruiyot challenged the opposition to seek a review in the Supreme Court to open the servers.
“In re-affirming our commitment to the dictates of the Constitution and rule of law, the PG directs the team nominated for this bipartisan process to strictly adhere to our Constitution and established laws in addressing the reconstitution of the IEBC panel,” Cheruiyot stated.
However, Raila troops insisted on their demands, saying that there must be ‘talks before the talks'.
“It is within their rights to reject anything they want to reject [but] that doesn’t in anyway, vary our conditions,” Wandayi said.
“Our conditions stand and they have been clearly put out by our party leader and the leadership of the Azimio coalition.”
“That is why we are insisting that we must have talks before the talks. Those are the talks that are going to set terms and reference of the bipartisan committee,” the Ugunja MP said.
Senator Deputy Minority leader Enoch Wambua said those who initiated the parliamentary talks – Ruto and Raila – must engage to iron out the agenda for the bipartisan talks.
“We have taken a position that this is what we will discuss. They have taken a position that this is what we will discuss. Our position and their position are at variance,” Wambua said.
"A decision must be arrived at as to what is it exactly that we will discuss. And if that decision is not arrived at, then we can’t talk. So, it is as simple as that."
But the government's side said they will not succumb to the demands by the opposition.
“As a PG we resist any attempts to force or blackmail the government to implement the failed policies of the last regime that drove the country into an economic mess, including corruption-ridden consumption subsidies, irresponsible borrowing and gross fiscal mismanagement, through state capture,” Ichung’wah said.
