‘We’ll negotiate in good faith,’ Raila says as all gear up for talks

Azimio la Umoja leaders have urged their Kenya Kwanza counterparts to stop their vitriol as the two parties prepare for a fresh round of talks slated for today.

Azimio leader Raila Odinga yesterday reiterated that the Minority side was ready to negotiate in good faith. Raila insisted that the country deserves peace, not paralysis, and that was why Azimio leaders stood down their weekly protests to give dialogue a chance.

“We have agreed to negotiate in good faith so that we can be able to move our country from where it is today to peace so that justice can be our shield and defender,” said Raila at a press conference in Karen, Nairobi.
“Propaganda must now end because it has not solved our problems this past year and it will not in the coming year. Our people and the whole world are watching us and we encourage them to watch us and to hold us to account.”

According to Raila, Azimio is ready to return to Bomas of Kenya, which they continue regarding as a sacred ground when it comes to the quest for reform, change and national healing.

He made the remarks as he announced that Azimio has settled on Jeremiah Kioni to head the legal and technical team to the talks.

Raila said their team remain as previously announced, which comprises Kalonzo Musyoka as the delegation leader, Leader of Minority in the National Assembly, Opiyo Wandayi, Democratic Action Party (DAP) leader, Eugene Wamalwa, Nyamira Senator Okongo Omogeni and Malindi Mp Amina Mnyazi.
Raila said the issues of discussion from their side remain the cost of living, audit of the 2022 Presidential election results, restructuring and reconstitution of Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) and related matters.

Other topics for discussion cited by Azimio are measures to prevent interference with political parties, outstanding constitutional matters on governance, adequate checks and balances and the question of boundaries delimitation. “As we said earlier, the team we have picked reflects the importance we attach to these talks. We picked the team with a full understanding that the country is on a wrong trajectory. Anyone who thinks otherwise is being delusional,” he stated.

Raila assured that they have put in place a technical and legal team to support Azimio’s delegation to the dialogue.

“We have tasked our delegation and our technical teams, under the leadership of Kalonzo and Kioni, to go to these talks with courage and open minds. It takes courage and open minds to establish common ground in situations of dispute,” he noted.

According to Raila, Azimio wants Kenyans to understand that engaging in honest dialogue does not amount to surrender or cowardice.