Sifuna announces suspension of bipartisan talks
Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has announced the suspension of bipartisan talks between Kenya Kwanza and Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya coalition party after the two sides failed to agree on a number of issues.
In a statement on Tuesday, May 23, 2023, Sifuna said that the government side was reluctant to meet some of the demands fronted by the opposition, the reason they decided to suspend the talks.
"We have had to suspend the Bipartisan dialogue after we could not persuade our friends from KK (Kenya Kwanza) to concede to some common sense interim measures namely lowering of the cost of Unga, preservation of the election servers, suspension of IEBC reconstitution (and) for them to leave Jubilee alone," Sifuna stated.
The senator, however, did not indicate the next cause of action from the opposition side.
"These are necessary in our view in order to safeguard the outcome of the talks. We hope sense shall prevail," he added.
Initially, Azimio had suspended their involvement in the bipartisan talks demanding that the Kenya Kwanza team dropped Eldas MP Adan Keynan from their side. The talks later kicked off after Keynan was dropped early this month.
Raila on bipartisan talks
On May 4, 2023, the Azimio council led by Raila Odinga and Kalonzo Musyoka said their talks with the Kenya Kwanza faction must not exceed 30 days.
"We have also instructed our delegates to make it clear that we want these talks concluded in 30 days from the date of commencement," Raila said.
The council further stressed that it will not hesitate to take alternative actions at any slight indication of a lack of goodwill from the Kenya Kwanza side.
"As we said yesterday, we will not hesitate to resort to alternative measures at the slightest indication of lack of goodwill on Kenya Kwanza said. If, through intransigence, delaying tactics and other aspects of stonewalling Kenya Kwanza forces us to abandon the talks, there shall be no turning back. Kenya Kwanza must get us clear on this," Raila said.
Azimio wants the negotiations to revolve around recruitment of the national polls team, opening and audit of the IEBC servers, cost of living and reinstatement of election commissioners who were kicked out after the last General Election.
