President William Ruto made a surprise climbdown on the mediation talks vacating the hard stance on the agenda of the dialogue with Azimio leader Raila Odinga.
The President team which had initially insisted on ring fencing the talks strictly around five main issues, made about-turn on Wednesday, days after Parliament approved the National Dialogue Committee.
Ruto’s troops had for the longest insisted they will only engage on the five issues allegedly agreed upon during a Mombasa meeting attended by the President, Raila and former Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo.
“This team is mandated to engage on the five-point agenda agreed upon. Azimio at the very least should have the decency to abide by the five issues agreed at the meeting,” National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah said in a terse statement early this month.
They include reconstitution of the IEBC, implementation of the two-thirds gender rule, entrenchment of Constituency Development Fund, establishment and the entrenchment of the Office of the Leader of the Opposition and embedment of the Office of Prime Cabinet Secretary.
Raila on the other hand listed cost of living, audit of 2022 polls, reconstitution of IEBC, inclusivity in national affairs and respect for political parties in line with the constitution.
The National Assembly Majority Leader even dared the opposition to return to the streets if they are uncomfortable with the agenda items.
But yesterday, it appeared the President's camp climbed down on their talk items agreeing to allow the opposition to suggest to the committee issues they feel should be part of the deliberations.
According to framework agreement signed by the two parties on Wednesday, both Kenya Kwanza and Azimio will each forward issues to be discussed to be considered by the committee.
However, the issues proposed by the parties to the talks will first be harmonised and adopted by consensus by the majority of all committee members.
“Each team shall formulate specific issues for discussion and resolution by the committee. The statement of issues, once adopted and signed by the members of committee, shall be deemed to be part of this agreement,” the agreement reads.
“The team shall engage in good faith on the issues identified by each party and work towards finding common ground and developing mutually acceptable solutions.”
The framework also provides a window for members of the public and any other person to recommend other areas for deliberation by the 10-man team.
Star has established that both sides will be fronting the same items for discussion that is expected to be concluded by end of October.
According to the framework, urgent matters will be dispensed of within 30 days.
“If there are outstanding issues after sixty (60) days, the committee may request the parties and Parliament to extend the time,” the agreement reads.
“The final report and proposals of the committee shall contain a list of agreed issues and those not agreed upon.”
The Ruto-Raila talks are being pushed by the international community that saw Obasanjo pitch tent in Kenya for days.
Kenya has been teetering on the brink for months as the opposition mobilised their supporters on the streets to push the government to reduce the cost of living.
Similar efforts for dialogue collapsed in April leading the second wave of protests that birthed the National Dialogue Committee.
To avoid another stillbirth, the framework agreement provides for dispute resolution mechanism which include negotiating in good faith and amending the agreement to address any concern.
Ichung’wah will lead the Ruto delegation in the talks that followed weeks of violent anti-government demonstrations.
The team also has Senate Majority leader Aaron Cheruiyot, Embu Governor Cecily Mbarire, EALA MP Hassan Omar and Bungoma MP Catherine Wambilianga.
Azimio side will be led by Wiper Party leader and former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka.
Also in the Azimio team are former Defence CS Eugene Wamalwa, National Assembly Minority leader Opiyo Wandayi, Malindi MP Amina Mnyazi and Nyamira Senator Okong'o Omogeni.
The team is also backed by an eight-member technical team and a Secretariat.
Addressing a press conference after signing the agreement, the committee said they have agreed to allow the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission Selection panel to continue with its mandate.
The team co-chaired by Kalonzo and Ichung'wah said the panel's mandate will not be interfered with.
However, Ichung'wah said doing so doesn't limit the committee to discussing issues touching on IEBC, and as a result, they have written a judicial notice to the panel, notifying them of the happening of the committee.
"Therefore even as they progress their work, they take note that it is part of the issues we are engaging on," he said.
The Kikuyu MP added that the IEBC panel will be among the stakeholders invited when the committee begins its engagement with stakeholders.
Kalonzo said the IEBC panel whose responsibility is to recruit the chairperson and six commissioners of IEBC may hear from the dialogue committee.
He said the dialogue committee has been able to make strides that will guide the process of negotiations in the next 59 days.
"Honesty, openness and integrity are the foundation of true dialogue and that is what we are fostering here at the Bomas of Kenya with fellow leaders of the National Dialogue Committee co-chaired with Ichung'wah," Kalonzo said.
