Kenya’s ruling coalition has named individuals who will represent the government in negotiations with the opposition.
The names of the five MPs and two senators who make up the seven-person team were revealed following a meeting on Tuesday that was presided over by President William Ruto.
Last Monday, the opposition announced their lineup.
Why Opposition?
Odinga has organised a number of nationwide rallies since January 23 in which he has urged his supporters to oppose the existing administration.
On February 22, he set the Ruto government a 14-day deadline to address cost-of-living rises and publish information from the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) server for the election in August 2022. He declared March 20 to be the first day of civil disobedience when the allotted time passed without the government granting his requests.
Notwithstanding the government’s ban on demonstrations, thousands of Kenyans heeded the veteran opposition leader’s appeals for anti-government protests on Mondays and Thursdays and organised three rallies.
Protesters asserted that the two main causes of the demonstrations are high living expenses and the possibility of electoral fraud in the August 2022 election.
The Rising Cost of Living
Opposition leader, Odinga has criticised the government for removing existing subsidies on basic products like fuel and maize flour, Kenya’s dietary staple, describing it as “reckless and heartless”.
“The subsidies must be restored, and the cost of basic commodities and taxes must come down in the next 14 days,” Odinga said during one of his rallies.
The president’s decision to remove the subsidies after assuming office has partly led to a rise in the cost of basic products, and he has maintained that he will not reintroduce them.
Ruto instead proposed fertiliser subsidies to boost food cultivation and eventually bring down the cost of production.
Also, electricity costs have also risen by 63 percent after the energy regulator approved higher tariffs. Taxes have also been increased.
Alleged Electoral Fraud
The 78-year-old Odinga lost to Ruto in August 2022, heralding his fifth electoral setback. The Supreme Court upheld the election outcome after Odinga appealed the results.
He has refused to acknowledge Ruto’s presidency, adamant that there was electoral fraud, and has cited evidence from whistleblowers as well as a rift inside the IEBC.
The IEBC needs to undergo change, according to the opposition.
In accordance with the requests of the opposition, Ruto stated on Sunday that a bipartisan committee to choose new IEBC commissioners might be constituted in the national assembly.
Odinga concurred but asked that the committee be created right now.
Resolving The Conflict
President Ruto agreed to hold discussions with the opposition about electoral reform earlier this month, but he insisted that they take place in the parliament.
Although accepting the invitation and calling off recent demonstrations, opposition leader Raila Odinga asked that religious leaders and non-governmental organisations participate as well.
The protests resulted in hundreds of injuries and the deaths of three people, one of whom was a police officer. Mr. Ruto claimed that the economic impact of the violence was negative.