Nairobi — The Kenya Kwanza Bipartisan team has accused their counterparts in Azimio La Umoja One Kenya coalition of erecting roadblocks to impede the ongoing talks between the two opposing sides.
Tharaka Member of Parliament George Murugara who co-chairs the team faulted the Azimio wing for suspending the talks without proper consultations.
During a press briefing Thursday, the Kenya Kwanza side raised issues with the opposition coalition accusing them of shifting goal post in the list of demands they have raised.
"We make a plea to our colleagues from Azimio side they don't put unnecessary roadblocks on the paths. It's not sustainable or in good faith to start with one demand after another demand and with ultimatums in between," said Murugara.
The President William Ruto's wing has maintained that they are ready to resume the talks insisting that the issues by the opposition coalition are not irreconcilable.
Murugara said they will respond to the issues by close of business today even as they invited Co-chair Otiende Amollo for consensus reaching on Monday, next week.
"We will respond to the letter by Azimio by close of business today and we have invited the co chair for a meeting on Monday afternoon so that we are able to thrash out issues that are in contention," he stated.
"At the end of the day we should be able to resume talks as soon as Azimio confirms that we are ready. We are ready to resume as soon as tomorrow."
Concerns have been raised on whether the ongoing stalemate between the two opposing teams might interfere with set timelines.
The Azimio La Umoja had given the bi-partisan team an ultimatum of 30 days to iron out issues in four thematic areas which include: the high cost of living, reconstitution of the poll body (IEBC), reinstatement of Cherera Four and Opening of servers.
"We can extend the time but we want the dialogue to continue in the 60 days timelines. We have timelines but we are free to extend the time. After all the time stopped ticking the moments the talks were halted by Azimio," Murugara said.
The talks were suspended for seven days Tuesday after MPs from the ruling Kenya Kwanza and Azimio coalitions disagreed on contentious issues.
The talks spearheaded by Parliament bring together legislators from Odinga's Azimio La Umoja One Kenya coalition and Ruto's ruling coalition Kenya Kwanza.
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They were initiated by the president in April to cool off political temperatures in the country after weeks of street demonstrations called by Odinga to protest the high cost of living and his alleged stolen presidential victory.
"Our colleagues have refused to concede to any of the interim measures we raised which has led us to the conclusion that they are not negotiating in good faith," said Otiende Amollo, the bipartisan co-chair, adding that the talks "will not get anywhere should the status quo remain the same."
And while Kenya Kwanza MPs accuse their counterparts of being dishonest in the talks, the Opposition feels the same.
According to Kenya Kwanza, the main issue of contention is the formation of a new electoral commission that will manage the 2027 elections.
"The Kenya Kwanza has singled out the issue on IEBC, indicating that to them that is the most critical bit of the issues brought by Azimio. We have agreed that the issue on IEBC is what must take precedence from today," said Kenya Kwanza committee co-chair George Murugara adding that they expect the talks to resume to their logical conclusion.
Other sources in the talks told Capital FM News that the negotiations were suspended over Kenya Kwanza's meddling in Jubilee party affairs.
