Azimio Issues an Ultimatum as talks hit Stalemate

Azimio has issued a six days ultimatum to Kenya Kwanza to accept demands on an interim basis or the talks stand to be dissolved according to the framework agreement that set the talks rolling. The framework agreement provides for a seven-day suspension of talks in the event of a stalemate.
Addressing the media in Nairobi, Azimio stated Kenya Kwanza must accept their demands after a progress report on the talks by a delegation to the bipartisan talks was received.

The outfit admitted that the talks were proceeding well until that point the four key concerns they have raised came up for discussion. The issues range from lowering the cost of living, restructuring and reconstitution of IEBC, auditing of IEBC election servers, and non-interference of Azimio parties by the Kenya Kwanza government.

“It is a standard procedure that for any team of negotiators to delve into substantive issues, they need to agree to take preliminary steps that preserve the substantive matters,” Azimio said. In addition, “Unfortunately, our team met resistance, hostility and outright rejection on all the desired preliminary actions,” the outfit said.

In the prevailing circumstances, Azimio under the leadership of Raila Odinga said the talks are now on the brink of total collapse unless their counterparts under President William Ruto’s leadership cede ground.

“If at the end of the seven days, we will not be able to resume. The talks will be considered to have collapsed. Thereafter, the Azimio Coalition will communicate our next cause of action at a parliamentary group meeting scheduled for Tuesday next week.”

The coalition also demanded that the Registrar of Political Parties leaves office for being partisan in the Jubilee Party wars.

“The Registrar of Political Parties Ms Anne Nderitu must leave office in view of clear manifestations that she has been co-opted into partisan and illegal schemes by Kenya Kwanza to cripple instead of protecting political parties. Anne Nderitu no longer enjoys the confidence of her clients, the political parties,” the coalition said. Mr Wamalwa said Kenya Kwanza must end efforts to “incapacitate, kill or take over other parties”.