Kenya Kwanza has termed the decision by Azimio to suspend bipartisan talks as “premature” saying there were no irreconcilable differences between the two sides.
Addressing a press conference at Parliament Buildings on Thursday, Kenya Kwanza committee co-chair George Murugara said Azimio did not exhaust all avenues of resolving differences that may have emerged.
“Invoking Clause 37 of the agreement was premature. We have Clause 34, which says if we fail to reach an agreement, then the co-chair of the two sides must sit and discuss the issues. This clause was skipped,” he stated.
Murugara said his side will look at the issues raised by Azimio and make a response to Azimio co-chair Otiende Amollo by close of business on Thursday.
Murugara added that he will be inviting Amolllo for talks on Monday at 2.30 pm.
On Wednesday, Azimio gave a six-day ultimatum to President William Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza Alliance to address their concerns for the talks to proceed.
The ultimatum lapses on Tuesday.
Azimio said they will deem the talks to have collapsed and resort to other actions if their demands will not have been met.
On Thursday, Murugara said the Kenya Kwanza side is committed to proceeding with the talks.
“We are ready to resume talks even tomorrow,” he stated while pleading with Azimio not to erect “unnecessary roadblocks” during talks.
“The demands after demands with ultimatums in between is not in good faith,” he added.
“At the end of the day, it is our hope that we will resume talk,” he said.
Murugara however said Kenya Kwanza has not conceded to the demands by Azimio.
Azimio has accused Kenya Kwanza of Kenya Kwanza side of not being 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 Azimio affiliate parties.
