Foreign embassies and missions through their diplomatic corps channels have expressed concern of the ongoing political acrimony and rising divisions between the government and the opposition amid intense pressure on president William Ruto and opposition leader Raila Odinga to reach a political truce, The Informer Media Group has established.
Impeccable sources intimated that yesterday’s conciliatory tone between the rival bipartisan teams and the suspension of today’s planned anti-government protests by the Azimio One Kenya Coalition is part of sustained pressure by the international community for a compromise by the international community.
The intense but subtle and silent push by the international community for structured dialogue between the government and the opposition is a continuation of a process initiated by USA and Delaware Senator Chris Coons when he visited the country and separately met Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and Raila earlier in the year.
While responding to questions when he appeared on Inooro TV’s “Kiririmbi” talk show, Gachagua revealed that Senator Coons had urged dialogue as a way to resolve the crisis in Kenya but he was unable to explain why Trump had not spoken with Vice President Biden following the fallout from the most recent US election.
According to Gachagua, the United States read from a different script to resolve its political crisis and ruled out the possibility of a handshake between Raila and president Ruto.
“I told him yes, I would also want for peace to prevail in Kenya….but in America after Trump lost and there was a lot of unrest why did you not invite him and give him half the government?” Gachagua posed.
Move by the George Murugara and Otiende Amollo co-chaired dialogue team representing the Kenya Kwanza and Azimio respectively to resume the negotiation table are among the subtle conditions outlined by the foreign powers to have a compromise reached.
Yesterday, a flurry of statements between the rival camps were sent to newsrooms in quick succession by Azimio co-principal and Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka and Minority Leader in the National Assembly Opiyo Wandayi on one hand expressing commitment to the talks and Majority Leaders in the National Assembly and Senate Kimani Ichungw’ah and Aron Cheruiyot (Senate) on the other hand.
In his statement, Kalonzo said Azimio was prepared to stand down the demonstration scheduled for today provided Kenya Kwanza recused Keynan from the joint committee. “We in Azimio la Umoja announce, on a-without-prejudice basis, that we are prepared to go back to the bipartisan talks with Kenya Kwanza.” Kalonzo said.
Later in the evening, the Kenya Kwanza side led by Ichung’wah welcomed the statement by their Azimio counterparts and that the team appreciates the conciliatory route taken by their colleagues to engage in talks and stand down the planned street demonstrations should they recuse Keynan.
“As we have always stated, we are willing to bend backward for the sake of the progress of the country, national unity and stability of the nation,” read the statement.
Ichung’wah said they had consulted with Keynan and the coalition’s top leadership and he had graciously agreed in the greater interest of the country to recuse himself from the joint committee.
Keynan said he agreed to step down in the interest of the country and that he did not want the Opposition to use him as a scapegoat in the whole matter.
“The interest of the country comes ahead of anything else; I don’t want to look as if I am the impediment to the process and therefore accept to step down and allow the talks to take shape. I however promise to actively participate in the debate when the committee brings a report for approval.” Keynan said.
Amollo who is also the MP for Rarienda termed it as insincere for the Kenya kwanza coalition to have included Keynan in the team. “Our position has been clear, it was clear last week, it’s clear even now, remove Hon Keynan from the committee and we will resume the talks even now,” Otiende reiterated.
Otiende also dismissed demands that the opposition call off the street demonstrations before the talks can resume.
‘’They are bringing up the issue of demonstrations, that has never been an agenda of the committee. We have no powers to call for or call off demonstrations, it’s a constitutional right and unless they amend the law we remain within the law,” said Amollo.
On the halting of demonstrations, Amollo said, “That can be dealt with at the level of the constitution and the principals, so it is in bad faith to insist that we call them off.”
Senate majority whip Boni Khalwale who is a member of the bipartisan committee urged Azimio team to abandon the demonstrations and resume talks.
‘’Whether they like it or not, they can go for demos today, they can go for demos tomorrow and every other day, but sanity will not be brought back by demos, but by talks.” Khalwale noted.