- The mediation team meets for the first time at Bomas of Kenya on Wednesday.
- Both camps are, however, yet to agree on the terms of references.
Image: PSC
After months of political turmoil, President William Ruto and Azimio leader Raila Odinga’s teams will on Wednesday sit for the talks that ended weeks of violent anti-government protests.
The fresh talks come in the wake of the collapse of a similar bid by a bipartisan parliamentary team.
The talks under the stewardship of former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo is billed as a make or break moment for the country following upheaval that had paralysed the country.
The two sides are, however, going into the talks with each camp holding onto extreme positions feared might lead to another bipartisan-like ending. The opposition withdrew from the talks midway.
The meeting at the Bomas of Kenya will be the first formal engagement between the two sides since the collapse of bipartisan committee in April.
The two sides have already clashed over the agenda of the dialogue as they accuse each other of trying to dictate the agenda of the talks.
The President's team has maintained their talks with the opposition will revolve around five issues.
They are the reconstitution of the IEBC, implementation of the two-thirds gender rule, the entrenchment of the Constituency Development Fund, establishment and entrenchment of the Office of the Leader of the Opposition and embedment of the Office of Prime Cabinet Secretary.
“There shall be no discussion of whatever nature on matters handshake or nusu mkate,” Ichung’wah said on Wednesday.
However, the opposition has listed the cost of living, audit of 2022 polls, reconstitution of the electoral agency, inclusivity in national affairs and respect for political parties in line with the constitution as the agenda for discussion.
Azimio mediation team on Monday said they will not be distracted by utterances from the Kenya Kwanza side but will instead focus on the mediation process starting on Wednesday.
Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka who is leading the opposition in the talks said their focus remains on the yet-to-start dialogue.
The former vice president who was reacting to Kenya Kwanza leaders said the opposition will approach the talks in good faith and urged their counterparts to also act in the best interest of the country.
“On certain utterances coming from the other side, I don’t want to talk about them. It’s below us to talk about them. We are focusing on Wednesday,” he said on Monday.
“People can say what’s in their mind or what best pleases them but we have a nation to look after and therefore, we will be negotiating in good faith on our part, and anything that smacks of bad faith I am sure Kenyans will be able to see.”
Kalonzo spoke on Monday after chairing the Azimio meeting attended by the five members of the negotiation team, as well as members of the defunct bipartisan team.
Narc Kenya leader Martha Karua also attended the opposition meeting at Serena, Nairobi.