- The Kenya Kwanza has insisted that they are ever ready to kick off the talks but only through a parliamentary route, escalating a standoff with Raila's camp.
- Azimio had already named Jeremiah Kioni and Makau Mutua as counsel to the team while Paul Mwangi was appointed as the joint secretary.
Image: STAR
The bipartisan talks between President William Ruto and Azimio leader Raila Odinga are expected to take shape on Tuesday when the 14-member team picked to dialogue will meet.
Both sides picked seven members each to sit in the Ad-hoc committee that will midwife a solution to the issues raised by the opposition and also hammer a lasting deal.
National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung'wah has said the Kenya Kwanza team is ready to meet with their counterparts from the Azimio on Tuesday to initiate the process.
The Kikuyu MP said the Kenya Kwanza team is ready to start the parliamentary initiative insisting the two houses have powers to address the issues raised by Azimio.
The Kenya Kwanza has insisted that they are ever ready to kick off the talks but only through a parliamentary route, escalating a standoff with Raila's camp.
Their counterparts from Azimio, however, have no problem with the Ad-hoc committee, they want the sessions of the team held outside of Parliament.
The net effect of sittings outside Parliament would be that the panel can have an expanded mandate with powers to also co-opt other people including experts.
Azimio had already named Jeremiah Kioni and Makau Mutua as counsel to the team while Paul Mwangi was appointed as the joint secretary.
"President Ruto did indicate that the bipartisan process will be based on what is constitutional and legal," Ichung'wah said.
Raila has insisted that the dialogue panel should be allowed to have sessions away from Parliamentary protocols, agree on issues and then submit a report for approval by both houses.
Azimio is keen to have broader discussions to discuss an array of national challenges including the cost of living, opening of the election servers and electoral reforms that go beyond the reconstitution of IEBC.
"We want our team to sit with their team at a neutral location where we come together as equals," Narc Kenya leader Martha Karua said.
That are fears that the standoff could delay the talks and resolution of the issues raised by Azimio if Raila's team decides to keep off the parliamentary initiative.
A senior leader in Azimio said on Monday that until Kenya Kwanza replaces Eldas MP Adan Keynan from their team, talks will not commence.
"Those people have no team, they are the ones derailing the process," he said.
Azimio's team of negotiators include Senators Ledama Ole Kina (Narok), Edwin Sifuna (Nairobi), Enoch Wambua (Kitui) and MPs Amina Mnyanzi (Malindi), Millie Odhiambo (Suba North), David Pkosing (Pokot South) and Rarieda MP Otiende Amolo.
Kenya Kwanza team include Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale, Bomet Senator Hillary Sigei, Nominated Senator Essy Okenyuri, Taita Taveta Woman Representative Lydia Haika, Tharaka MP George Murugara, Kibwezi West MP Mwengi Mutuse, and Eldas MP Adan Keynan.