I'm not interested in sharing power with Ruto – Raila

Says talks will strictly focus on four main issues including cost of living.

In Summary

• Azimio called off their mass protests which were to be held on Thursday to give the talks a chance.

• But in his press statement at the SMK Centre in Karen, Nairobi, Raila said talks on sharing power with the Ruto government are not on the cards.

Azimio leaders led by Raila Odinga arrive for a press briefing at SKM Centre in Karen, Nairobi on Thursday, May 4, 2023.
Azimio leaders led by Raila Odinga arrive for a press briefing at SKM Centre in Karen, Nairobi on Thursday, May 4, 2023.
Image: RAILA ODINGA

Azimio leader Raila Odinga has reiterated that he is not interested in power-sharing with the Kenya Kwanza regime even as he rallies his troops to resume talks with Kenya Kwanza.

In a statement on Thursday, Raila said they still consider the William Ruto administration illegitimate.

"We wish to make it absolutely clear that we are not interested in power-sharing with Kenya Kwanza. In fact, our position remains that Kenya Kwanza is illegitimate that is in power through a civilian coup," he said.

He said the Azimio team has instructed members of their bipartisan team to communicate this position to their Kenya Kwanza counterparts once talks resume.

The parliamentary bipartisan talks were on Wednesday rescued from the brink of collapse after Kenya Kwanza gave in to pressure from Azimio to recuse Aldas MP Adan Keynan from their team.

In return, Azimio called off their mass protests which were to be held on Thursday to give the talks a chance.

But in his press statement at the SMK Centre in Karen, Nairobi, Raila said talks on sharing power with the Ruto government are not on the cards.

"We are not interested in any deals other than open public talks on issues we have made public," Raila said.

He said the talks with Kenya Kwanza will remain centred on the reduction of cost of living by reducing prices of basic commodities such as fuel, unga, electricity and school fees.

"We want the subsidies that were scrapped to be restored so that unga can go back to retailing at Sh100 or less," he said.

The other demands are an audit of the 2022 presidential election results, restructuring and reconstitution of the IEBC and an end to the interference with the management and operations of political parties with the view to weakening them by co-opting them with the government. 

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