Azimio: We won't take part in bipartisan talks if process is parliamentary

Azimio la Umoja coalition during a news conference in Nairobi. [Silas Otieno, Standard] The Azimio la Umoja Coalition maintains it will not take part in bipartisan talks if the process is parliamentary. The coalition has pointed an accusing finger at the Kenya Kwanza Alliance, accusing them of having no intention for dialogue. In a statement by Wiper Party Leader Kalonzo Musyoka in Nairobi on Tuesday, April 18, the Raila Odinga-led coalition also wants the government to cover hospital bills for Kenyans hurt during its weekly protests. "We reiterate the call that the regime must immediately take up the hospital bills of all Kenyans who sustained injuries as a result of police brutality during the recent protests and pay reparations for those who lost property," said Musyoka. "Last evening, we learned of a motion drafted by the Kenya Kwanza leadership allegedly aimed at setting up a joint select committee in Parliament. The motion is in absolute bad faith...we have insisted on an extra-parliamentary process in view of the strictures of debate in Parliament. We will therefore not participate in any such parliamentary process," Azimio said. The coalition says it will not take part in the parliamentary process because it is disguised as bipartisan, yet neither the team nor the minority leadership was involved. The Odinga team maintains that the dialogue must include the prices of maize flour (Unga), fuel, and electricity coming down, as well as the audit of servers. "They cannot dictate to us what we cannot bring to the table." Azimion also claims that the president and his team have no intention of dialogue saying, they have displayed bad faith from the beginning. "When Ruto invited us for talks, he did not in his speech, capture the entire framework for talks as had been agreed upon with the emissaries he sent to us. This includes leaving out key issues on the cost of living and electoral justice which are of utmost importance to us and the people of Kenya," Musyoka said. Azimio says the leader of its delegation in the bipartisan talks, Rarieda MP Otiende Amollo will invite the Kenya Kwanza team for a meeting. The aim of the meeting is to set ground rules before the dialogue process kicks off. The coalition reiterated that they want the following issues addressed in the talks: lower cost of living, audit of the IEBC transmission servers, re-constitution of the electoral commission, as well as party disloyalty. Last week, Raila told his supporters that they will resume demonstrations after Ramadhan.

Azimio: We won't take part in bipartisan talks if process is parliamentary

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Azimio: We won't take part in bipartisan talks if process is parliamentary

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