Azimio la Umoja withdrew from the bipartisan negotiations as a result of the bipartisan committee, led by President William Ruto’s team, publicly justifying their decision to renege on past concessions.
Kenya Kwanza had agreed on Tuesday, among other things, to co-author letters to the IEBC Selection Panel requesting that the hiring process for election chiefs be suspended for 30 days.
In addition, the government side led by Tharaka MP George Murugara agreed to write another joint letter to the IEBC asking for the preservation of presidential election servers for three years.
However, Murugara reversed course on Wednesday and refused to sign. He claimed Azimio substantially changed the text of joint letters he was meant to co-sign.
Read: Azimio Suspends Bipartisan Talks
“Hon Amollo’s letters sent to me last night had a few but very fundamental changes, which had altered the request to directives to the two independent bodies. This is why I declined to sign the letters,” Murugara said.
The lawmaker asserted that he could not participate in any action that may threaten the independence of constitutional institutions.
“We do recognise that IEBC, just like Parliament, Judiciary and other independent offices and commissions, are not subject to directions and orders from any person or entity,” the Tharaka MP said.
“It, therefore, came to us as a surprise that our colleagues wanted to enjoin us to commit a fundamental violation of the very constitution we seek to defend.”
Read Also: Bipartisan Talks Halted for Seven Days
Additionally, he said that the committee would not be considering the Azimio PG resolutions, particularly those pertaining to the Finance Bill, because they are not among the issues on the agenda that both sides had agreed to include.
In an effort to save the negotiations, Murugara called his co-chair to a meeting on Tuesday of the next week to decide what should be in the letters.
“I have just now invited the co-chair, Hon Otiende Amollo, to a meeting on Tuesday, 6th June 2023, at 9am to discuss the draft letters further, with a view to agreeing on the suitable wording and co-signing them,” he said.
But his co-chair, Otiende Amollo, told a local daily that he would not attend the Tuesday meeting.
Read Also: EALA MP Kega Protests Jubilee Party’s Exclusion from Bipartisan Talks
“Kenya Kwanza are playing games; probating and reprobating. Offering concessions when matters heat up, then playing recalcitrant when things cool, citing the existence of laws and independence of institutions. No negotiations can be held this way,” Otiende said.
“The talks are suspended indefinitely, and I am unavailable for the suggested meeting.”
3 thoughts on “Kenya Kwanza Blames Azimio for Stalled Bipartisan Talks”