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Ruto, Raila dialogue off to a cordial start
Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka (left) and National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah shake hands during the start of talks between the government and the Opposition at the Bomas of Kenya in Nairobi on August 9, 2023.
Crisis talks between President William Ruto and Opposition leader Raila Odinga began on a cordial and conciliatory note on August 9, 2023 as their representatives agreed to form a technical team to iron out their differences on the agenda for the negotiations.
Yesterday’s talks were led by Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka for the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition Party and National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wa for the Kenya Kwanza Alliance. The team said the first session of the negotiations saw them agreeing on the need for the technical teams to sit down and prepare documents on the agenda for the talks.
“It was a cordial meeting, we agreed to set up two technical teams on both sides to sit down and prepare the necessary documents for the negotiations by Friday this week. There are a number of issues like the agenda that we need to consult on and the technical team will help us narrow it down," said Mr Musyoka.
Mr Ichung’wa said the meeting will focus on the interest of all Kenyans rather than personal interests of politicians, even as he indicated that the issues to be discussed would be weighty.
"We have indicated that we will engage on the basis of mutual respect, all in the interest of Kenyans ... We cannot afford to fail in this process. We have serious issues before us and we may agree on some and disagree on others but we are coming to the table in good faith," said Mr Ichung’wa.
The negotiations will also be supported by a secretariat drawn from parliament. Mr Musyoka said the team will request the Speakers of both the National Assembly and the Senate to provide Hansard reporters for record keeping. Records will be key in the formulation of reports and documents to be presented to parliament for discussion.
The agenda for the meeting has been a major sticking point. Kenya Kwanza had listed the reconstitution of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), implementation of the two-thirds gender rule, entrenchment of the Constituency Development Fund, creation of the Office of the Leader of the Opposition and entrenchment of the Office of the Cabinet Secretary in the Constitution. Azimio wants the high cost of living, audit of the 2022 presidential election results, preventing interference with political parties and outstanding constitutional issues on governance, adequate checks and balances and delimitation of boundaries added to the list.
During the meeting, Mr Musyoka also appeared to reiterate the need to conclude the dialogue within a certain timeframe. Azimio had indicated that the negotiations should be finalised by the end of this month.
The Opposition team included former Defence Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa, National Assembly Speaker Opiyo Wandayi, Malindi MP Amina Mnyazi and Nyamira Senator Okongó O'Mogeni. Kenya Kwanza had Senate Majority Leader Aaron Cheruiyot, Embu Governor Cecily Mbarire, East African Legislative Assembly rep Hassan Omar and Bungoma MP Catherine Wambilianga.
