- On Thursday, Ruto said its resolution will go a long way to accelerate the transformation, deepen democracy and entrench national unity.
- In its negotiation process, the two camps engaged in a public spat and political bravado.
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The National Dialogue Committee has completed its 73-day marathon talks with the focus now shifting to the drafting of the final report.
The technical team has retreated to Machakos to prepare the report which is set to be handed over to President William Ruto.
The secretariat is already at the venue and will be joined by the committee next week.
The committee co-chaired by National Assembly Majority leader Kimani Ichungw’ah and Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka has until November 26 to present the report.
In its schedule, however, the committee noted that the report will be ready by November 22.
On the day that the team ended its talks at the Bomas of Kenya where it has been holding its sittings, Kalonzo was optimistic they covered all areas put forth for talks including other emerging issues.
“We have concluded the deliberations after 73 days of intense and informative bi-partisan engagements,” he said in a statement.
He also thanked all the stakeholders who submitted memoranda and the experts who honoured the call to appear to discuss some of the sticky issues.
Among the issues which divided the team and at one point threatened to collapse the talks are the cost of living, audit of 2022 presidential servers, reconstitution of IEBC and fidelity to political parties.
“We have over the period tackled all the thematic areas identified at the onset of the talks and emerging issues that came up from stakeholders during the negotiation period,” Kalonzo said.
“I also thank you fellow Kenyans for your patience, trust, confidence, and participation at all stages of this process.”
The technical team received 258 written memoranda and 60 oral submissions from various stakeholders.
Key items that were agreed upon between the two camps are on reconstitution of IEBC, entrenchment of the Office of the Leader of the Opposition and embedment of the Office of Prime Cabinet Secretary.
Others are the implementation of the two-thirds gender rule and the entrenchment of the Constituency Development Fund and the establishment.
During his State of the Nation address to Parliament on Thursday, President William Ruto saluted the Opposition leaders for agreeing to embrace the dialogue as he urged them to continue uniting Kenyans.
Ruto particularly stressed the ongoing bi-partisan talks noting its resolution will go a long way to accelerate the transformation agenda, deepen democracy and entrench national unity.
The dialogue, he said, was being held in the spirit of goodwill, fraternity and commitment to the national interest and the welfare of the nation.
“The national dialogue has enabled leaders from our various political divides to find a common ground on many of issues affecting the nation,” he said.