NADCO meets experts over cost of living
By Francis Muli, October 31, 2023The National Dialogue Committee (NADCO) has met experts amidst calls to propose ways to cut the cost of living in Kenya.
In a statement on Tuesday, October 31, 2023, NADCO co-chair Kalonzo Musyoka revealed that the committee had engaged a number of experts to find solutions to the skyrocketing cost of living.
Among the experts who appeared before the committee include the Controller of Budget, specialists from the Institute of Economic Affairs as well as representatives from the Parliamentary Budget Office.
“The cost of living has and continues to be the foremost concern of the Azimio – One Kenya Coalition. Today in our NADCO negotiations, several experts including the Controller of Budget, specialists from the Institute of Economic Affairs as well as the Parliamentary Budget Office walked us through the ways and means of tackling this most critical agenda, indeed our irreducible minimum,” Kalonzo stated.
ODM speaks on NADCO talks
This comes a day after the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party opposed a move by the Kenya Kwanza administration to include experts from the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in the NADCO talks.
In a statement on Monday, ODM, a member of the Azimio coalition, rejected the World Bank and IMF’s role in the talks, saying the two international bodies were to blame for the country’s economic challenges.
“We express profound concern regarding the participation of institutions such as the World Bank and IMF for expert input. Their previous advice has contributed to the problems our nation faces today,” ODM’s Executive Director Oduor Ongwen said.
“As a committed member of Azimio, we urge our delegation to stand firm and not accept any deal that does not satisfactorily address the critical problem of the cost of living. It is essential that NADCO operates under the understanding that nothing is agreed upon until everything is agreed upon. The success of these discussions must encompass the comprehensive and genuine interests of the people of Kenya.”
The party further accused the government of a lack of commitment to lowering the cost of living.