President William Ruto and opposition chief Raila Odinga are headed for a fresh clash after the bipartisan talks that brought ceasefire were adjourned indefinitely.
Speaking on Thursday, committee co-chair Otiende Amollo announced they had pulled out of the talks sine die (indefinitely, with no set date of resumption).
Otiende argued that there was inaction to their demands by the Ruto team, saying the back-and-forth and hardening of positions informed their decision to invoke Clause 36 of the framework agreement.
The clause allows the joint team to adjourn the talks to build consensus on any issue.
On Tuesday, Azimio claimed that Kenya Kwanza had indicated willingness to accede to co-authoring letters to IEBC Selection Panel to suspend for a month the ongoing process of hiring elections chiefs.
The government side had also conceded to do a joint communication to the IEBC to preserve the presidential election servers and the data contained therein.
But on Wednesday, Otiende said their counterparts in the bipartisan talks made a retreat, expressing unwillingness to sign the two letters at the heart of the talks.
According to the Rarieda MP, his co-chair claimed signing the letters would amount to interfering with the functions of independent constitutional bodies.
“We notice that you are yet to co-sign and submit to us letters addressed to the IEBC CEO, and the one addressed the IEBC Selection chairperson,” reads Otiende's letter to his co-chair George Muragara.
“In the circumstances, it is our considered opinion that the appropriate action is to adjourn the talks sine die, in accordance with clause 36 of the Framework Agreement, which we hereby do.”
Murugara did not respond to our inquiries.
However, a member of the Kenya Kwanza dialogue team told the Star that they are still combing through Azimio's new demands and will soon make a response.
“We have been going through the new Azimio demands including their Parliamentary Group meeting resolutions, we shall definitely revert,” the senator told the Star in confidence as it is only the co-chairs mandated to address the media.
The development now technically leaves the fate of talks on the hands of President William Ruto and Azimio boss Raila Odinga with a possibility of mass action on the table.
Azimio had indicated they would not hesitate to go back to the streets at the slightest indication that the Kenya Kwanza side is unwilling to engage.
“We reiterate that we will not hesitate to resume mass action at the slightest indication of lack of goodwill and honesty on Kenya Kwanza side,” MP Opiyo Wandayi is on record as saying.
Otiende also accused Kenya Kwanza of backtracking on a number of concessions they had earlier made that would ensure the return of talks.
“In our conversation with the co-chair they expressed difficulty in compliance but additionally even the two matters they had acceded to for which they had drafted the letter and we only adjusted them very slightly, so far since they are expressing difficulty in signing,” Otiende said.
“This means they have even decided to backtrack on what they have offered and the chair is going back to the old argument that you cannot direct an independent entity on how to do their work.”
Frustrated Otiende said they will leave for whatever forces to take their course, adding that the push and pull in the bipartisan committee was too much.
“We are going back and forth too much,” Otiende said.
“We basically hold everything in abeyance and it will now be up to Azimio summit to make a decision because so far they (Kenya Kwanza) have not responded,” he said.
The summit comprises of Azimio leader Raila Odinga, Wiper boss Kalonzo Musyoka, Narc Kenya party leader Martha Karua and DAPK leader Eugene Wamalwa.
