Raila Odinga Presents 5 New Demands in Talks to End Political Impasse
Raila Odinga, the head of Azimio la Umoja, has presented President William Ruto with five new requests to end the political deadlock. These demands are connected to the agreement talks that are taking place.
On Sunday, July 30, while speaking at his home in Karen, the head of the opposition party urged that there be a reduction in the cost of living as part of the discussions.
He pointed out that the Constitution places an obligation on the government to ensure that all citizens have access to fundamental necessities like food, education, and health care; hence, the Head of State is obligated to enact measures that would resolve the current economic crisis.
In addition, Raila mentioned that the Kenya Kwanza administration needs to denounce the statements that were made by Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, who claimed that Kenya was a private enterprise that employs those who voted for the regime. Raila stated that the administration needs to reject these statements.
“We would want to remind Kenya Kwanza that the claim made by Rigathi Gachagua that Kenya is a private enterprise, which has never been disowned by William Ruto, marginalizes, isolates, and treats as second-class citizens many communities and areas in Kenya. In Raila’s words, “It has revived the question of a credible solution of the right to self-determination.”
The opposition rejected the claims made in the Kenya Kwanza statement and emphasized their agenda, which included the auditing of the elections in 2022, the reconstruction of the IEBC on a bipartisan basis, and respect for the autonomy and independence of political parties.
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In addition, the leader of Azimio emphasized that the question of accountability and responsibility for the brutality and abuse of human rights committed against protestors should be a part of the discussions that are taking place.
The leader of the ODM issued a warning to the Kenya Kwanza government, advising them not to interfere in the topics that they want to bring up.
“It is our stance that no party to these negotiations can and should decide for the other what issues to raise and what issues not to raise. This is our position, and it is the position of the other party as well.
We are going to respect Kenya Kwanza’s right to bring all of its problems into the open discussion. In the same vein, we anticipate that Kenya Kwanza will not raise any objections to our priorities,” Raila stated, suggesting that his camp will continue to host assemblies to interact with the general population.
Kenya Kwanza’s efforts to deny Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo’s attendance and role in mediating the negotiations were reprimanded by the head of the opposition, who called Kenya Kwanza’s actions hypocritical.
The opposition remarked, while opposing the move, that the government was building a culture of institutionalizing the culture of lying and putting it into the global arena. The opposition added that the government ought to stop such acts because it was creating a culture that institutionalizes the culture of deceit.
As the Azimio leader was wrapping up his statements, he made a plea to the people of Kenya to maintain their support for the families of those who had been killed or injured by police brutality.
Raila Odinga Presents 5 New Demands in Talks to End Political Impasse
