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Thursday, August 10, 2023 –First day of bipartisan talks saw the two camps agree on four matters which both Kalonzo Musyoka and his counterpart Kimani Ichung’wah confirmed.
In the session held at the Bomas of Kenya yesterday Wednesday August 9, the two leaders – Kalonzo and Ichung’wah agreed that next Monday will be the official day to start their dialogue which should end after 30 days.
The team also came to an agreement that there must be formed a proper framework to guide every step of their talks.
“There are matters that need consultation in the next one or two days. We think that the technical team should sit by Friday this week and generate the necessary documents so that on Monday, we get moving,” Mr. Musyoka announced.
On their discussion, the parties cautioned each other against leaking contents of their sessions to the public until this is done through the rightful channels.
“We have agreed that the committee members will not go out there over the weekend and begin to discuss matters that are strictly within the progress of these negotiations,” partly read their statement.
Speaking shortly after holding their first preparatory meeting today, the Majority leader in the National Assembly, Kimani Ichung’wah, said a secretariat would also be created and presented to both the National Assembly and the Senate by Monday August 14.
This means, the bipartisan team will be divided into three technical sections – the negotiating parties, the secretariat and technical staff.
“For secretariat services, we will also have technical teams backing up each of our teams,” Ichung’wah, clarified.
As we speak, the two factions – Azimio and Kenya Kwanza are expected to address, among other issues, the high cost of living, audit of the last year’s general election results, reconstitution of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission IEBC, the creation of the office of the official leader of the opposition and embedment of the office of the prime minister.
Discussion surrounding cost of living is still in limbo with the two sides pulling in different directions.
According to the government side, cost of living is a prerogative of the government and not a matter to deliberate with the opposition.
