Azimio to hold Kamukunji rally on Sunday

Azimio La Umoja leader Raila Odinga and his team at Busia Polytechnic grounds during the Bunge la Wananchi rally on February 12, 2023. [Benjamin Sakwa, Standard]

The Azimio la Umoja coalition has announced that it will hold a town hall meeting on April 13 and a rally at the Kamukunji grounds on April 16.

The announcement was made by the Chairperson of the Azimio Executive Council Wycliffe Oparanya.

According to Oparanya, the coalition has appointed Rarieda MP Otiende Amollo as the chair of the seven-member Azimio team that will hold talks with the Kenya Kwanza team.

The team chaired by Amollo is Senators Ledama Ole Kina (Narok), Edwin Sifuna (Nairobi), and Enoch Wambua (Kitui).

The others are MPs Amina Mnyanzi (Malindi), Millie Odhiambo (Suba North) and David Pkosing (Pokot South).

Oparanya says that the meetings and rally will be to educate their supporters on the progress of their mass action calls that they suspended for dialogue with the William Ruto-led government as well as what lies ahead after the suspension.

"The letter and spirit of fidelity to multipartyism must be entrenched in the ongoing negotiations. We continue to reiterate that we expect parliamentary parties and membership to be respected and not undermined during the talks," reads the statement.

He says that the coalition is committed to the spirit of the deal that saw them call off their protests and call on Kenya Kwanza to come to the table with clean hands, and unclenched fists and commit to an honest and transparent process to address the issues they have raised.

The coalition maintains that the issues they have raised must be addressed. The issues are the high cost of living and the opening and audit of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission servers.

The others are the protection of the letter and spirit of fidelity to multiparty democracy and adherence to the principle of inclusivity in appointing civil servants.

This comes after the Kenya Kwanza coalition held a Parliamentary Group meeting on Tuesday where it also unveiled its team to hold bipartisan talks with Azimio.

They are Senators Bonny Khalwale (Kakamega), Hillary Sigei (Bomet) and Essy Okenyuri (nominated) as well as MPs George Murugara (Tharaka), Mwengi Mutuse (Kibwezi West), Lydia Haika (Taita Taveta MP) and Adan Keynan (Eldas).