- Karua argued the report failed to address cost of living that necessitated the dialogue after weeks of street demonstrations.
- NADCO report was tabled in the National Assembly on Thursday.
Image: FILE
Narc Kenya leader Martha Karua on Thursday defied his coalition principals and called for the rejection of the National Dialogue Committee (NADCO) report.
Azimio leader Raila Odinga and Wiper boss Kalonzo Musyoka had last month rallied opposition MPs in endorsing the talks report terming it a good start.
But on Thursday, Karua who was Odinga’s running mate in the 2022 contest against President William Ruto rubbished the report and called for its rejection.
In her argument, Karua said the report failed to address the issue of the cost of living that necessitated the dialogue after weeks of street demonstrations.
“The NADCO report fails to address the issue of cost of living and has instead served Kenyans with a contempt card,” she said.
“The NADCO report has nothing to alleviate the suffering of citizens but offers goodies to the leaders. It is a fraud which Kenyans should frown upon and reject; it is a distracting national smokescreen.”
“The report's findings confirm that the committees were formed by the unwilling, composed of the incompetent to do the unnecessary.”
She termed the report, a waste of time and taxpayers' money and thus should be rejected.
The Azimio principal was speaking at Narc Kenya headquarters in Nairobi.
Karua spoke on a day the report was tabled in Parliament even as the leadership called for fast-tracking of its passage.
The report omits the need for immediate action to lower the cost of living.
National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah who tabled the NADCO report said Parliament would convene a special sitting before the end of the year to consider the document.
“We can come before the end of the year to consider the report,” Ichung’wah said.
National Assembly Minority Leader Opiyo Wandayi too supported the call for a special sitting to dispense with the report.
“It may require this house to dispense with the report as quickly as possible,” Wandayi said.
The two were members of the ten-man NADCO that midwifed the report.
The current position now puts the Narc Kenya boss at loggerheads with her fellow Azimio principals who are pushing for the passage of the report.
Karua was, however, quick to clarify that she remains a member of the opposition coalition dispelling speculations of a possible Azimio walkout.
Karua has been consistent in dismissing the report, just last Saturday vowed to make a major announcement on the National Dialogue Committee (NADCO) report.
“I find the NADCO report troubling, problematic and unacceptable. A more detailed statement [is] loading in the coming week,” Karua said in her verified social media space on Saturday.
The committee also recommended an increase of timelines within which the Supreme Court shall hear and determine a petition challenging the validity of a presidential election from 14 to 21 days.
They also agreed on restructuring and reconstitution of the IEBC and creation of the post of Official Opposition leader with two deputies and the entrenching of the Prime Cabinet Secretary’s office into law.
The committee agreed on the transfer of many devolved functions and the requisite resources to the county governments.
NADCO has also proposed an amendment to the Constitution to provide for the equitable share to the county governments to not less than 20 per cent of all revenue collected by the national government from the current 15 per cent. It recommended a Ward Development Fund be established.