Ruto, group to pick team for bipartisan talks with Azimio

President William Ruto is today set to chair the Kenya Kwanza parliamentary group meeting to pick the team which will represent the government side in the bipartisan talks with its Azimio la Umoja colleagues.

The meeting, to be held at State House, Nairobi will precede the resumption of the National Assembly sittings after the short Easter recess.

Ruto has proposed a bipartisan process to address issues raised by Opposition leader Raila Odinga on the procedure to pick commissioners to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).

Majority leader Kimani Ichung’wah confirmed the meeting will be held today to come up with the team to represent Kenya Kwanza in the talks. “The PG is taking place tomorrow (today) but the agenda will be released ahead of the meeting,” he said.

The House has been on a short Easter holiday which commenced on March 23, 2023, in line with the House calendar.

As expected, establishing a framework to implement the political settlement between the President and Raila will be the main agenda of the first days of the session.

Raila’s Azimio La Umoja coalition has already picked its team of seven members for the talks. The former Prime Minister  has since made fresh demands outside the areas identified by the President, including a model similar to the 2007/08 National Accord.

The president has however maintained that only parliament can amend the law, dimming hopes for Kofi Annan-like talks as proposed by the Opposition.

Speaking after chairing a Parliamentary Group meeting, Raila said the Opposition wanted a proper constitutional review to cure the governance defects in the 2010 Constitution.  “We want to remove the last vestiges of an imperial presidency,” Raila stated.

The ODM leader said that the matters discussed during the PG meeting would be discussed during a dialogue with the Kenya Kwanza government.

In other demands, Raila wants recommendations on measures on how the cost of maize flour, fuel, electricity and school fees will be lowered. “We want a review and forensic audit of the servers used by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission before, during and after the 2022 General-Election,” he said.

Demand rights

Raila also wants the government to consider restructuring IEBC by dissolving structures to the counties, and whether the counties really need commissioners working on a permanent basis

Failure to meet their demands, Raila said the team would not hesitate to mobilise Kenyans to demand their rights within the framework of Article 37 of the Constitution. “The monopoly of power, by hook or crook, by the party in the State House can only be rectified with a thoughtful deliberative process involving all Kenyans,” Raila added.

Raila on Thursday last week unveiled a seven-member team that will faceoff with Kenya Kwanza alliance nominees for bipartisan talks at parliament.

They are Millie Odhiambo (Suba North), David Pkosing (Pokot South) and Otiende Amollo (Rarieda). Others are Senators Ledama ole Kina (Narok), Edwin Sifuna (Nairobi), Enoch Wambua (Kitui) and Amina Laura Mnyanzi (Malindi).

Report adoption

The House will also seek to adopt the Report of the Departmental Committee on Labour on the Inquiry Regarding Sexual Harassment of Female Workers in Tea Estates in Kericho county, the establishment of a Joint Parliamentary Ad Hoc Committee on a Proposal to amend the Constitution to entrench certain Specialised Funds (NG-CDF, Senate Oversight Fund, and NGAAF).

MPs will also conclude debate on the Reports of the 144th and 145th Assemblies of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, the general debate on proposals to amend the Constitution under Standing Orders, and the Statute Law (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill 2022 which was not included due to quorum hitch.

Debate on the ratification of the African Union Treaty for the establishment of the African Medicines Agency (AMA) and ratification of the agreement between Kenya and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Island on Defence Cooperation will part of the agenda during the session.