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The second round of talks between the government and the Minority side to broker a truce between them are set to commence any time this week even as both camps maintained hardline positions on the issues that they want to be discussed.

Although the two teams insisted they were ready for the negotiations to be mediated by retired Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, the Kenya Kwanza side — led by President William Ruto — clarified that the issues concerning handshake or powers sharing will not be discussed. On the other hand, their counterparts in Azimio — led by Raila Odinga — gave a 30-day ultimatum for the negotiations to be concluded.

Raila, speaking in Kisii, also ruled out a political handshake, accusing the President of backing police killings of protestors.

Kenya Kwanza led by President Ruto — who is on a working tour of the Mount Kenya region — said that although they were ready for talks, they expect the Minority side to acknowledge that his government was democratically elected. Kenya Kwanza also said its team would not take part in any negotiations characterised by intimidation and threats.

Ruto, who has been on a tour of the region that covered Kiambu, Murang’a, Kirinyaga and Nyeri counties, told residents at various stops that he had no plans of entering into a working relationship with Raila.

“I told you (Kenyans) that I can’t be cheated… Mkinipima kweli, mimi ni mtu wa kuchanganywa kweli? (If you look at me, do you think I am one person who can be confused?” Ruto asked.
“These people pushed President Mwaki Kibaki and President Uhuru Kenyatta and got into handshakes.

They are trying to do the same to me but this time round they will not get half the government. There will be no handshake,” he said.

His sentiments came at a time when the impending talks have been put in jeopardy by squabbles over venues, time and threats of protests — a replica of the intrigues that led to the collapse of the initial bid led by Tharaka MP George Murugara and his Azimio counterpart, Otiende Amolo.

The Obasanjo talks were to have started today but Kenya Kwanza, led by National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wa, requested for the first meeting to be held on Thursday to allow for housekeeping.

“We had a scheduled debrief on Monday (today) with our team in order to prepare for the talks and a further engagement with the Bi-Partisan team and their assisting counsels on Tuesday, August 8. We, therefore, seek your kind indulgence and propose that we schedule a joint first meeting on Thursday, August 10, at 10am,” read the statement in part.

Ichung’wa’s letter was in response to a letter by Wiper Leader Kalonzo Musyoka who is leading the Azimio negotiating team that had called for a speedy resolution to the standoff between the two sides, citing anxiety among Kenyans.

On Saturday Raila, who was in Siaya County, said if the talks fail to bear fruit in 30 days, his team will take on another course of action.

“Wasipokuwa tayari kuongea na kukubaliana na sisi vile tunataka, tunasema baada ya siku thelathini Wakenya watachukua hatua tofauti (If they are not ready for the talks and to agree with us, we will go back to the streets in 30 days),” he said.

Leader of Opposition

Democratic Action Party of Kenya (DAP-Kenya) leader Eugene Wamalwa, a Raila ally, said that Azimio’s five-member dialogue team was ready and asked Kenya Kwanza to approach the talks with an unclenched fist.

“If you are serious about the talks, then create a conducive environment for dialogue. You cannot go to tour a region and continue to insult the former President and the former premier and at the same time claim to want the talks,” he said in reference to the President’s ongoing tour of the Mt Kenya region.

Among the issues Kenya Kwanza wants discussed include reconstitution of the electoral commission, implementation of two-thirds gender rule, entrenchment of Constituency Development Fund in the Constitution, establishment and entrenchment of the Office of the Leader of the Opposition, and the embedment of the Office of Prime Cabinet Secretary in the Constitution.

Creation of an electoral commission is critical because the period for boundary review ends this year. A panel set up to pick new commissioners has also been in limbo for months, awaiting the outcome of the talks.

Azimio wants issues to do with cost of living, audit of the 2022 presidential election results, restructuring and reconstitution of IEBC, measures to prevent interference with political parties as well as other outstanding constitutional matters to be discussed during the negotiations. Whereas the agenda of reconstitution IEBC is a common ground, it is the only point of convergence between the two political formations.

Handshake

During an interdenominational prayer meeting at the Sagana State Lodge, President Ruto said he would be tough on the Minority side if they stage anti-government protests.

He said: “We are a country that follows the rule of law and the Constitution. Even as we respect the rule of law, what we have said will not happen is that there will be no more bloodshed, violence and destruction of people’s property. This one we have said it is not going to happen because this is not even part of our democracy.”

In his address to the congregants, Ruto assured Mt Kenya people, whom he described as true heroes following their overwhelming support for him in last year’s elections, that he will not let them  down

“Sitawaangusha watu wa Mt Kenya na wakenya wote (I will not let down the people of Mt Kenya and other Kenyans),” he said.

Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua said he and the President were cautious of having a handshake as this was what made them and retired President Uhuru Kenyatta drift apart.

Senate Speaker Amason Kingi said the impending talks will not yield fruit because the cost of living cannot be resolved through bi-partisan talks.

“I don’t want to be a prophet of doom but I have been in this space long enough to observe something. Nothing will come out of these so called talks but something will come out from this plan that the President has,” said Kingi.

Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi told Azimio to accept that they were defeated in the election after Ruto was declared the winner and his election affirmed by the Supreme Court.

“Kenya is not a failed State; we have a President who was duly elected. With him at the helm, he is firmly in control. What is left is that some people have refused to acknowledge the reality that Ruto and Rigathi were duly elected,” he said.