- Azimio accused the government of treating the talks casually
- Demos to run alongside the talks
Azimio leader Raila Odinga has announced the return of street protests and accused President William Ruto of insincerity in the proposed dialogue.
Speaking on Thursday, Raila said he will unveil a programme for the second phase of nationwide mass action immediately after the holy month of Ramadhan.
Ramadhan is set to end on April 20, meaning Raila could mobilise his troops to the streets as from next week.
The former Prime Minister spoke when he led top echelon of Azimio to multi-sectoral leaders meeting hosted by civil society at historic Ufungamano Hall in Nairobi.
He was responding to calls by his team and members of the civil society who had implored on him to abandon the talks and return to the streets.
The opposition chief however clarified the demos will run concurrently with the bipartisan talks.
“I agree with what you have said, the talks will happen alongside demos. Dawa ya moto ni moto, sisi tutaendelea (we will fight fire with fire)” Raila said.
“Tunangoja Ramadhan iishe alafu tutangaza (We will announce after the holy month of Ramadhan).”
The forum was attended by Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, Narc Kenya boss Martha Karua, Usawa party leader Mwangi wa Iria, ex Defence CS Eugene Wamalwa, Jubilee Secretary general Jeremiah Kioni, ex-Kakamega governor Wycliffe Oparanya and Minority leaders Opiyo Wandayi (National Assembly) and Stewart Madzayo (Senate).
The Azimio boss was confronted with calls to resume countrywide mass actions after numerous complaints on the lacklustre manner the Ruto team is treating the dialogue.
Speaker after speaker urged the opposition chief to immediately leave the negotiation table and lead troops back to the streets, noting the government is casually treating the ceasefire deal.
Kalonzo firing the first salvo accused the government of taking the opposition gesture for a ride.
The former Vice President said the government has shown all signs of uncaring and have remained non-committal to the talks since suspension of street protests two weeks ago.
“I have been to the negotiations in the region and of course in our own country. Kenya Kwanza are not serious about this dialogue, they are clearly not. Out of this consultative forum the resolution that will come out need to call them out,” Kalonzo said.
“The people observed worrying signs of lack of seriousness from the Kenya Kwanza regime to an honest, inclusive and credible process of national dialogue, and have called on the Azimio leadership to immediately resume maandamano immediately after the end of Ramadhan,” added activist Suba Churchill who read the resolution of the meeting.
Earlier, Raila’s team of seven negotiators complained against what they called an intentional delay from Kenya Kwanza side to come to the negotiation table.
Addressing a morning press conference at a Nairobi hotel, the bipartisan committee co-chair Otiende Amollo said the talks are yet to start as they do not know who to engage from the government side.
“We reiterate our readiness and commitment to the process but decry the delay exhibited by our Kenya Kwanza counterparts,” the Rarieda MP said.
“We note the delay in naming the seven- member team and that up to now they have not named their chairperson leaving us at a loss as to whom to engage.”
Ruto on Tuesday named senators Boni Khalwale (Kakamega), Hillary Sigei (Bomet), Esther Okenyuri (nominated), and MPs George Murugara (Tharaka), Mwangi Mutuse (Kibwezi West) and Adan Keynan (Eldas) to engage the opposition.
Raila also bolstered his dialogue roping in university don Makau Mutua and Kioni as assisting counsel to the committee.
The ODM boss also named his personal lawyer Paul Mwangi to serve as a joint-secretary of the talks team.
Mutua, a distinguished law professor, was appointed the Azimio spokesperson in the run up to the August 9 elections, and has been at the centre of politburo advising the ODM boss and the opposition coalition.
Kioni on the other hand is seasoned lawmaker who is more experienced in the issues of governance and is believed to be representing the interest of ex-President Uhuru Kenyata in the opposition.
The co-chair also announced that they have already prepared a draft framework of engagement to guide the process.
Otiended was flanked by 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).
Sifuna, who is the ODM Secretary general and a member of the opposition dialogue team, on Wednesday told the Star that he will not be part of any negotiation team that is not deliberating on the price of Unga.
The naming of Keynan—elected on Azimio affiliated party, Jubilee—to the team has also caused jitters in Azimio who are now demanding that he be replaced.
“We note our counterparts have named Hon Adan Keynan as part of their team. Keynan is a member of Azimio. The issue of party discipline is one of the four cardinal issues on the table and his inclusion is in bad faith and intended to delay the process,” Otiende said.
“We therefore request that he be replaced.”
In naming the two non-Parliamentarians, Otiende insisted the bipartisan talks is extra Parliamentary as opposed to claims by Kenya Kwanza that the process will be purely Parliamentary.
“This is an extra Parliamentary process initiated by the Principals of Kenya Kwanza and Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Alliance. We urge our counterparts to accept the text and spirit of the constitution of public participation consultation and inclusivity in such processes,” Otiende said.
The government has however maintained that the talks will be strictly conducted in Parliament under the House rules.