Raila reveals four 'shortcomings' of Ruto's bipartisan team

Azimio said Kenya Kwanza sees the talks as a process of managing the political situation.

In Summary
  • The opposition said the talks have been suspended until Tuesday.
  • Wamalwa said the talks will be deemed to have collapsed in six days if the two sides will not have reconvened.
Azimio leader Raila Odinga and Narc Kenya Leader Martha Karua during a press briefing at the Kalonzo Command Centre on May 24, 2023.
Azimio leader Raila Odinga and Narc Kenya Leader Martha Karua during a press briefing at the Kalonzo Command Centre on May 24, 2023.
Image: WINNIE WANJIKU

Azimio leader Raila Odinga has come out to criticise the bipartisan team specifically the wing of President William Ruto.

In a statement, Raila said that the issues emerged from the bipartisan talks.

"Kenya Kwanza side is essentially several teams in one; the members are answering to different bosses and are not moving in the same direction. They are getting different instructions and are clearly pulling in different directions," he said.

Raila said Kenya Kwanza has no clear direction on whether the talks should proceed or not.

The Opposition boss added that Kenya Kwanza sees the talks as a process of managing the political situation.

He said they are using the talks to calm down the political temperatures and continue with business as usual.

Raila claimed that the destabilization of the Jubilee Party is a do-or-die agenda and has been sponsored by Kenya Kwanza leadership.

He said the move aims to ensure Kenya Kwanza obtains a supermajority in parliament to amend the constitution, remove presidential term limits, abolish devolution and remove the independence of constitutional commissions.

Azimio endorsed the decision by Opposition MPs to walk out of the bipartisan talks.

The opposition said the talks have been suspended until Tuesday.

Wamalwa said the talks will be deemed to have collapsed in six days if the two sides will not have reconvened.

"We will issue a statement on our next course of action of Tuesday if the talks will not have resumed," he said.

He said the Kenya Kwanza side was not keen to address the substantive issues; cost of living, an audit of IEBC servers, restructuring and reconstitution of IEBC and an end to taking over of Azimio affiliate parties.

"Our team wanted some preliminary action on the issues. Unfortunately, the team met resistance on all desired actions," Wamalwa stated.

He added that Kenya Kwanza's side was taking instructions from different bosses.

"There was no clear direction from President William Ruto in how to proceed," he said.

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