Kalonzo wants court to throw out petition on dialogue

Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka. [Denis Kibuchi, Standard]

Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka has defended the National Dialogue Committee.

He termed three petitioners challenging legality of process 'busybodies and speculative'.

Kalonzo, who is the committee's co-chair and leader of the Azimio Coalition delegation, swore that the petition is incompetent and an abuse of the court process since the bi-partisan talks are an extension of parliamentary process that cannot be stopped by the courts.

"The petitioners are merely seeking to disrupt and halt an ongoing parliamentary process and thus prohibit Parliament from discharging its constitutional mandate. They are inviting the court to usurp the powers of Parliament which goes against the doctrine of separation of powers," swore Kalonzo.

According to Kalonzo, the constitution does not exclude any person from initiating constitutional amendments on any issue and that claims that the bi-partisan talks are a means of changing the constitution through the back door are unfounded.

"The petitioners cannot blow hot and cold at the same time. They cannot plead that the committee has excluded parties like Law Society of Kenya and Civil Society while on the other hand argue that it is illegal for being composed of civilians who are not Members of Parliament," said Kalonzo.

Kalonzo swore the affidavit on behalf of Azimio in response to the suit filed by Issa Chamao, Patrick Ekirapa and Paul Kirui.