- Kalonzo disclosed they had not agreed on the agenda of the talks.
- A source told the Star the technical teams were instructed to formulate a Motion that will be taken to Parliament.
Image: KEITH MUSEKE
Kenya Kwanza and Azimio dialogue teams met on Monday for talks but the meeting was adjourned before members agreed on the agenda of the discussions.
Leaders of the two sides, Kalonzo Musyoka (Azimio) and Kimani Inchung’wah had promised the agenda would be agreed upon on Monday after the two groups named technical teams of four members each.
Addressing the media at the Bomas of Kenya before the talks commenced, the two leaders said the technical teams were briefed on the expectations of their respective sides.
They said the teams have been tasked with synchronising the proposals from the two sides.
But after meeting for about two hours, the Dialogue Committee and the technical teams left the venue without giving the media any details of the discussions.
Cornered, however, Kalonzo disclosed they had not agreed on the agenda of the talks.
“We have not agreed. The technical teams are working on it. We had hoped that they would have looked at it over the weekend,” he said.
Other members of the committee declined to talk to the media and said the secretariat would issue a press statement.
A statement released by the secretariat later said the technical teams have been tasked to frame the agenda items for consideration by the Dialogue Committee
“Additionally, it was agreed that the parliamentary leadership of the National Assembly and the Senate will process a Motion to legally establish the dialogue team,” the statement added.
The next meeting of the dialogue team will be held on August 21, 2023.
The teams were also to agree on the duration the talks will take. Azimio had already pronounced itself on the matter saying the dialogue should be concluded by the end of August failure to which the Opposition will announce the next course of action.
Before talks commenced, Kenya Kwanza named reconstitution of the IEBC, implementation of two-thirds gender rule, the entrenchment of the Constituency Development Fund and the establishment, entrenchment of the Office of the Leader of the Opposition and embedment of the Office of Prime Cabinet Secretary as the items for discussion.
Azimio named the cost of living, audit of the 2022 presidential election results, restructuring and reconstitution of the IEBC. It also wants interference with political parties discussed.
Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo was picked to facilitate the talks that commenced last Wednesday.
Azimio and the Kenya Kwanza leadership reached a consensus and agreed to involve Obasanjo to mediate talks between the Raila -led outfit and President William Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza to find amicable solutions to the crisis.
Kenya Kwanza team also includes Embu Governor Cecil Mbarire, Senate Majority Leader Aaron Cheruiyot, Hassan Omar and Catherine Wambilianga.
Opiyo Wandayi, the Leader of the Minority Party in the National Assembly, Eugene Wamalwa, the Party Leader of DAP, Okon'go Omogeni, Senator for Nyamira and Amina Mnyazi, MP for Malindi form part of the Azimio team.
The technical team from Azimio's side comprises former Ndaragua MP Jeremiah Kioni- the team leader, lawyer Adams Oloo, Zein Abubakar and Isabel Githinji.
Kenya Kwanza’s technical team is made of lawyers Muthomi Thiankolu, Linda Musumba, Nick Biketi and Duncan Ojwang’.