The negotiations between the Kenya Kwanza Alliance and Azimio la Umoja One Kenya are entering a crucial week as the two teams begin to draft agenda items for the dialogue committee’s consideration, despite disagreements over whether to include the cost of living.
In order to protect the process from any legal obstacles before the next meeting on August 21, the leaders have also taken action to formally establish the dialogue team.
The 10-member national dialogue committee and the technical teams declined to answer questions from the media after a two-hour meeting on August 14, 2023, at Bomas of Kenya in Nairobi.
The leaders kept their discussions during the meeting under wraps as Delaware Senator Chris Coon visited the nation in the background.
Leaders of the Wiper Party, Kalonzo Musyoka represented Azimio in Monday’s negotiations, and Kimani Ichung’wah represented the Kenya Kwanza.
“Our technical teams are going to work on the agenda for the talks. We had hoped they would meet over the weekend, but that did not happen. However, we have now put everybody together for the purpose,” said Musyoka.
The meeting, according to Opiyo Wandayi, minority leader of the National Assembly, was productive, and a joint statement on the discussions will be released.
“Everything is going smoothly. Simply await the statement, which will include everything, the Ugunja MP advised.
The technical teams have been officially formed and co-opted to work with the negotiating team, according to the joint statement made later by the committee team leaders.
Additionally, the technical teams are responsible for framing the agenda items for discussion and reviewing the framework agreement for the bipartisan talks to include the resolutions of the negotiating team.
The teams include Jubilee Party Secretary-General Jeremiah Kioni, Adams Oloo, Zein Abubakar, and Lynn Ngugi on the Azimio side, while Kenya Kwanza has enlisted lawyer Muthomi Thiankolu, Linda Musumba, Nick Biketi, and Duncan Ojwang’.
The formation of the two technical teams was agreed upon on Wednesday last week to iron out differences on the agenda for the negotiations. The teams had been expected to sit down last week to prepare documents and narrow down the agenda for the talks by Friday last week. However, this did not happen as the two teams failed to meet.
Additionally, the leaders said, it was agreed that the parliamentary leadership of both the National Assembly and the Senate will process a motion to legally establish the dialogue team.
The leadership of the National Assembly, which is in session, has been given this week to process the motion. However, the Senate, which is on recess until September 5, will have to convene a special sitting as soon as possible to pass a similar motion.
“The next meeting of the dialogue team is scheduled for Monday, August 21 at 10 a.m. at the Bomas of Kenya,” the joint statement indicated.
Other members of the dialogue team include former Defence Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa, Malindi MP Amina Mnyazi, Nyamira Senator Okong’o Omogeni for Azimio, Senate Majority Leader Aaron Cheruiyot, Embu Governor Cecily Mbarire, East African Legislative Assembly MP Hassan Omar, and Bungoma MP Catherine Wambilianga on the Kenya Kwanza side.
The agenda for the talks, aimed at finding solutions to the current political crisis in the country, has been a major sticking point, with the two camps presenting different issues.
Kenya Kwanza has listed the reconstitution of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), implementation of the two-thirds gender rule, entrenchment of the Constituency Development Fund in the constitution, creation of the Office of the Leader of the Opposition, and entrenchment of the Office of the Cabinet Secretary in the constitution.
On the other hand, Azimio wants the high cost of living, an audit of the 2022 presidential election results, an end to interference with political parties, and outstanding constitutional issues on governance and delimitation of boundaries added to the list.