Partisan Deadlock: Otiende Amollo Announces Indefinite Suspension of Bipartisan Talks
The bipartisan team responsible for facilitating talks between Azimio la Umoja and Kenya Kwanza has been suspended indefinitely after the government failed to meet the opposition’s demands on Tuesday.
The co-chair of the Azimio Otiende Amollo (Rarieda) stated that the co-chair of Kenya Kwanza, George Murugara, failed to sign two letters addressing the selection panel and the chief executive officer of the electoral commission regarding the preservation of the presidential election servers.
Dr. Amollo’s letter states, “Under the circumstances, we believe it is appropriate to adjourn the talks sine die (Latin for indefinitely) by Clause 36 of the framework agreement.”
Clause 37 of the framework agreement governing the bipartisan team stipulates that, in the event of a disagreement, the committee will adjourn for seven days while the team attempts to reach a consensus.
Clause 38 of the framework agreement states, “If the parties cannot reach an agreement within seven days of the suspension of the talks, either party may give notice of the dissolution of the talks.”
Wednesday, the Azimio team distributed two letters, one to the chairman of the selection panel, Nelson Makanda, and the other to the CEO of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, Marjan Hussein.
In a letter to the selection committee signed only by Dr. Amollo, the team requested that the recruitment process be suspended until the talks are concluded.
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“There are concerns that the ongoing recruitment of the chairperson and commissioners of the IEBC could compromise the joint discussions. “As a result, the committee has determined that it is necessary to suspend the recruitment process while negotiations are ongoing,” the letter states.
In a second letter addressed to Mr. Marjan and again signed only by Dr. Amollo, the team requests that IEBC preserve the 2022 presidential election servers for inspection purposes.
“The effective execution of the committees’ charge is contingent on the preservation of the 2022 presidential election servers and the data contained therein. “Additionally, the 2022 presidential election servers and the data contained therein are election materials, and the Elections 9General) regulations of 2012 require an inspection of the documents,” the letter states.
Mr. Murugara informed the Nation, however, that he has not yet received the letter regarding the indefinite suspension of the talks.
Mr. Murugara explained that he was unable to sign the two letters because his draft of the letters had been altered, so he was unable to sign them. “I cannot sign them as my draft status has changed. It appears that we are issuing orders,” Mr. Murugara told GossipA2Z.
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Azimio had requested, on an interim basis, a reduction in the cost of essential items, preservation of IEBC presidential election servers, cessation of invasion of coalition parties, particularly the Jubilee Party, and suspension of the IEBC selection process.
During Tuesday’s meeting of its Parliamentary Group, Azimio threatened to cancel the talks if Kenya Kwanza failed to address the issues.
In addition to the interim measures, the coalition demanded the immediate withdrawal of the disputed Finance Bill of 2023, which they deem anti-people.
During the meeting that Mr. Odinga presided over, Mr. Azimio revealed that Kenya Kwanza had proposed that the joint co-chairs write to the selection panel asking them to halt the process for approximately 21 to 30 days and preserve the presidential server.
Tuesday, the Azimio teams halted negotiations, citing irreconcilable differences on fundamental interim issues.
Mr. Murugara stated in a letter to Dr. Amollo last week that the bipartisan committee lacks the authority to suspend the recruitment of IEBC commissioners, but as co-chairs, they can write to the selection panel to consider suspending the process for 30 days while negotiations continue.
Regarding the preservation of servers, Mr. Murugara explains that the committee did not agree on such interim measures because the IEBC is not yet properly organized.
“We argued that such a directive would be an exercise in futility, as there are no IEBC commissioners to receive such a directive,” Mr. Murugara explained.
Partisan Deadlock: Otiende Amollo Announces Indefinite Suspension of Bipartisan Talks
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