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Hardline stances adopted politicians from the ruling alliance and the Opposition risk grounding the anticipated talks between the two sides.

Only a day after it was revealed that President William Ruto and Opposition leader Raila Odinga had agreed on the need for dialogue, their close allies are stll accusing each other of dishonesty.

Bone of contention remains the agenda of the talks with the Opposition team disowning the list of issues outlined by the Leader of Majority in the National Assembly Kimani Ichung’wah.

The Kikuyu MP, a close confidante of the President, listed the reconstitution of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, establishment of the Office of the Leader of Opposition and entrenchment of the Constituency Development Fund as well as the Office of the Prime Cabinet Secretary in law.

On Sunday, the Azimio team disowned Ichung’wah’s statement, saying the high cost of living had not been included in the talks agenda.

Azimio maintained talks would only proceed if concerns raised by Kenyans on the cost of living were addressed.

“Kenya Kwanza released a one-sided statement signed by Ichung’wah that claimed to incorporate our views. We disown the statement. Azimio had nothing to do with it. Its contents were those of Kenya Kwanza, their wish list,” the statement read by former Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya said.

Munya said former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo had facilitated a meeting between Ruto and Raila, although nothing was agreed on during the meeting.

Speaking in Kwale, Ruto confirmed holding talks with Raila, but added that the dialogue would not be centred on the cost of living.

The President disclosed that his meeting with Raila last week was about ending protests which have led to deaths and destruction of property.

Without disclosing more about the discussions, Ruto said both parties resolved to protect the country from more chaos.

“We agreed that violence and destruction of property will not be in the equation in the Republic of Kenya. We are a democratic country; we can talk to each other,” he said.

But Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi dismissed Obasanjo’s role in the talks, saying the country was not facing a crisis to warrant the invitation of outsiders.

“Sudan is in a crisis, Congo is in a crisis but Kenya has no crisis. We have a President and Kenya is peaceful and whatever we have can be solved. These are just political differences,” Mudavadi said.

He said that Raila should “stop internationalising his losses” and wait for the next election.
Cabinet Secretary for Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs Salim Mvurya urged the Opposition to recognise Ruto’s presidency before any talks begin.

Mvurya told the Opposition to give Ruto latitude to run the country. He said that the 2022 General Election was fair and it would be wrong for the opposition seek a power-sharing deal.

“Did the President win or not? Why do you people want to subject him to talks? If they want talks, the government will provide avenues for talks. But first, they have to be fair to the President by letting him govern the country because he was the clear winner in last year’s election,” Mvurya added.
National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula was also dismissive of the talks saying they would not lead to lower cost of living.

Wetang’ula said only sound economic policies would improve living costs.
“If you want to lower the cost of living, it is not by going to strange places to talk with strange people. It is by having sound economic policies, increasing production and helping the Kenyan farmer to provide enough food,” Wetang’ula said.

Ruto said the cost of living issue was already captured in the government’s development plan.
“For those who are saying the cost of living is not in the structure of talks, we want to tell them that lowering the cost of living is in the manifesto,” he said.

The planned talks will bring together a 10-member committee comprising representatives from both sides. Members of the committee will include MPs and non-parliamentarians.

Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua said while he welcomed talks, the government would not allow the Opposition to engage in violent protests.

“The opposition should desist from blackmail. The police will ruthlessly crush any protests,” Gachagua said.

In its statement, Azimio leaders claimed Raila agreed to meet Ruto after he was persuaded by Obasanjo.
“Baba (Odinga) accepted to be in that meeting because of his respect for Obasanjo. That meeting did not come to a consensus on any issue. It was a meeting to agree on when and how to hold talks,” they said.
“Kenya Kwanza is not sincere at all. Nothing at all was agreed upon when the two leaders met. The meeting was only to prepare the ground for honest discussions. The meeting was, therefore, a talk about envisaged talks,” said Munya without revealing the date or location of the meeting.
Finance Act
Munya further alleged that Kenya Kwanza had already shown signs of frustrating the talks from going to the next stage by trying to deny Obasanjo’s presence in the country and his role in the talks.
“They denied the presence of President Suluhu here a few weeks ago and now they want to deny the presence of HE Obasanjo,” said Munya.

Munya said that while Azimio was committed to dialogue, their demands had not changed.
“We want to see actions that will lead to the immediate lowering of the cost of living. It is our position that this issue does not require any discussions but policy. But since they won’t do it, lowering the cost of living has to be part of the talks,” he said.

“Negotiations must therefore include the repeal of the oppressive, cruel and insensitive Finance Act 2023,” read the statement.