Ruto-Raila Talks: Kenya Kwanza And Azimio Politicians’ Shifting Stance
Raila Odinga, the leader of the opposition alliance Azimio la Umoja One Kenya, has announced new plans for meet-the-people excursions to counter the attacks of President William Ruto and his deputy Rigathi Gachagua, putting the talks to end the post-election crisis on shaky ground.
Dr. Ruto and Mr. Gachagua have instructed Mr. Odinga to concede that he lost the presidential election on August 9, 2022, and to concentrate on 2027. Recently, Mr. Odinga disparaged the Kenya Kwanza negotiators as a “third division team.”
The technical teams have yet to concur on the agenda for tomorrow’s meeting, even though tomorrow’s meeting is scheduled to take place.
Kimani Ichungwah, the chief negotiator and majority leader of the National Assembly for the Kenya Kwanza, maintains that elections cannot be discussed in the negotiations because “the matter was settled at the ballot box.”
However, the leaders appear to present a united front, as evidenced by Wednesday’s unanimous passage of the motion establishing the National Dialogue Committee by MPs aligned with Dr. Ruto and Mr. Odinga.
During the late-evening debate, both the majority and the minority concurred that the talks should pave the way for reforms to prevent election result standoffs. When they return to their political strongholds, however, the factions polarize the nation through derogatory comments directed at opponents.
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“President Ruto gave the go-ahead for the registration of individuals aged 70 and older for monthly stipends. Mr. Gachagua recently stated, “I have ordered the Principal Secretary to register Raila Odinga for the Sh2,000 so that he can rest.” “He claims he has the authority to order the United States to recall (ambassador) Meg Whiteman, but he cannot even dismiss an assistant chief.”
According to information obtained by GossipA2Z.com, the eight-member technical team has not coordinated the agenda for the meeting. The last meeting was on Monday.
Before tomorrow’s meeting of the 10-member National Dialogue Committee, convened by Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka and Mr. Ichung’wah, the technical team was tasked with drafting the agenda.
“It was necessary to harmonize the agenda. The agenda is still being formulated, according to Jubilee Secretary-General Jeremiah Kioni.
A member of the Kenya Kwanza technical team confirmed that no agenda has been established.
Mr. Odinga told Azimio la Umoja One Kenya delegates from Baringo, Elgeyo Marakwet, Nandi, and Uasin Gishu counties on Thursday, following his speech at the Devolution Conference in Eldoret, that he would be holding town hall meetings throughout the country.
“While the Bomas negotiations are ongoing, the rest of us will meet with supporters in their respective cities. We will not hide the fact that we snatched the victory,” he said.
“We want the servers of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission to be accessible. Forms 34C from the 290 electoral districts have not yet been published. They are aware of the president-elect. The cost of living must also be reduced, and Kenyan Kwanza must cease purchasing our members of parliament.” Wycliffe Oparanya, the deputy leader of the Orange Democratic Movement, stated that President Ruto and his associates have been touring the country and attacking opposition figures.
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He also stated that on Tuesday, Azimio would hold a meeting to plan and schedule the meet-the-people excursions. Mr. Odinga will be absent from the meeting as he is currently out of the country.
“We have not yet determined the tour dates because we wanted the negotiations to stabilize first.” Our adversaries are already in the field. We cannot simply wait for the talks, said the former governor of Kakamega.
We are in negotiations in good faith and trust they will be successful. Opiyo Wandayi, the leader of the minority in the National Assembly, chose his words carefully while insisting that the opposition would continue to hold town meetings. “Our relationship with the public is ongoing. What may alter is the nature and structure of these engagements, according to the lawmaker from Ugunja.
He dismissed concerns that the current political war of words could derail the bipartisan discussions. Wednesday’s ratification of the motion was deemed crucial by Mr. Wandayi.
“The ratification of the motion by the National Assembly was crucial. We anticipate the same from the Senate before beginning substantive discussions,” he said.
Mr. Ichung’wah advised Mr. Odinga to cease wasting time on the polls in the aftermath of the recent conflict sparked by Ms. Whitman’s endorsement of the 2022 presidential election.
“The ambassador stated the obvious when she stated that the elections were transparent and fair. Live with the reality of losing an election and concentrate on 2027,” the Kikuyu representative said.
“The election produced a President, concluding that chapter. This cannot be the topic of conversation. Similarly, violence and anarchy have no haven in our democracy. We remain committed to upholding the rule of law and promoting harmony for everyone.”
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Mr. Kioni, who is also a member of the National Dialogue Committee’s technical team, stated that the United States is playing “good dog, bad dog” in Kenya’s political crisis.
Former Kanu Secretary-General Nick Salat, who supported Mr. Odinga in last year’s election before switching to Dr. Ruto’s side, advised the opposition leader to accept the results. “We should not tolerate those who seek power through force. Mr. Salat stated that Raila must acknowledge that we can only have one president at a time.
Godfrey Osotsi, senator of Vihiga, stated that the opposition would not hesitate to return to the streets should the bipartisan talks fail. Some key political actors in the ruling and opposition alliances appear to be pulling behind-the-scenes strings to scuttle the negotiations out of fear of becoming collateral damage if the country’s top two political leaders reconcile.
Kenya Kwanza politicians believe Mr. Odinga’s demands are a ploy to join the government “through the back door.”
Mr. Gachagua and some of his allies, particularly those from Mt. Kenya, have adopted hard-line stances against the negotiations for fear of losing their power and influence in the current administration if Mr. Odinga can establish a working relationship with President Ruto.
With a second and final term to defend in 2027, President Ruto is neither willing nor able to incite discontent in Mount Kenya.
Ruto-Raila Talks: Kenya Kwanza And Azimio Politicians’ Shifting Stance