Raila: Bipartisan talks with Kenya Kwanza must be concluded in 30 days
Azimio la Umoja Coalition council has given a time frame of 30 days for the bipartisan talks to be concluded after commencement.
After a de-briefing meeting with its bipartisan committee on Thursday, May 4, 2023, the 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.
"We wish to make it absolutely clear that we are not interested in power-sharing with Kenya Kwanza. In fact, our position remains that Kenya Kwanza is an illegitimate regime that is in power through a civilian coup. We have instructed our team to make this clear, We are not interested in any deals other than open public talks on issues we have made public," he added.
Town hall meetings
The Azimio council further said that they will continue to engage their supporters through town hall meetings (baraza) even as the bipartisan talks with Kenya Kwanza continue.
"We still believe the talks cannot be driven entirely through a parliamentary process. There must be an avenue to be inclusive and allow for the participation of players from outside parliament in the talks. Such a structure, in our view, will create an avenue for the inclusion of other outstanding constitutional issues to be canvased in the talks. We have instructed our delegates to raise this.
"We will continue our engagements with our people through town hall meetings and other avenues to continue educating our people on the issues even as our delegates engage in talks."
Azimio also called on the government to release its supporters who were arrested during demos.
"We have also made it clear that our youths who have been arrested and arraigned in court on trumped-up charges must be released unconditionally ahead of the talks."
The council claimed that deputy president Rigathi Gachagua and Trade Cabinet Secretary (CS) Moses Kuria hired goons to rein terror on people and destroy property and blame it on Azimio youths.
"During the protests this Tuesday, a number of hired thugs were unleashed on Nairobians by Rigathi Gachagua and Moses Kuria to rein terror on people and destroy property which was then blamed on Azimio youth."
Azimio reiterated their claim that Gachagua and Kuria were planning to assassinate its leaders.
"We are aware, and many Kenyans are aware, that during our last protests, Gachagua, Kuria and other mercenaries in Kenya Kwanza had engaged assassins from within and outside established security forces to kill Azimio leaders and implement mass murder of protesters. We knew their plans and changed tact. When people with history of mass murder and execution of witnesses tell you they are going to kill you, you believe them."
