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– Raila Odinga and his coalition have rejected President Uhuru Kenyatta’s plans forto end the IEBC stand off
– This was after Uhuru released the names his representatives who would afterwards report back to Parliament for debate and approval
– Raila had however wanted talks that did not involve any parliamentary process similar to the Serena talks held in 2008 that led to the formation of the coalition government
The CORD coalition has rejected a proposal by President Uhuru Kenyatta to form a joint Select Committee to dialogue on the end of the IEBC stand off.
The coalition has said it does not want a parliamentary process as suggested by Uhuru who had already named a team of 11 MPs.
National Assembly leader of majority Aden Duale with other Jubilee MPs after the Thursday, June 9, parliamentary group meeting. Image: Denis Itumbi
They accused the president of coming up with resolutions that favoured the Jubilee side.
Raila Odinga had wanted the talks to be held outside Parliament, similar to the Serena talks at the height of the 2007/8 post-election violence that culminated in the formation of a coalition government.
When Uhuru suggested the joint committee formation on Wednesday,June 8, Raila Odinga seemed to welcome the move but added that his side shall have to meet before making a collective decision.
Raila Odinga addresses mourners in Kisumu during a requiem mass for the Cord protesters killed by police. Photo: Raila Odinga/Facebook.
It appears that after a meeting on Thursday,June 9, the opposition has opted out of the suggested joint committee of both houses of parliament as proposed by Uhuru.
Initially, CORD had already released a list of names of members who would sit down with the government to discuss the fate of the IEBC.
They includes Senators James Orengo (Siaya) and Johnston Muthama (Machakos).
Others were Eseli Simiyu (Tongaren MP), Junet Mohammed (Suna East) and Mishi Mboko (Mombasa woman rep).
There will also be two secretaries from the opposition side-Paul Mwangi and Grace Katasi.
CORD’s is against a committee of more than seven members from either side of the divide.
The secretaries are also to non-parliamentary staff.
Matatu operators outside CORD leader Raila Odinga’s offices with the shell of another burnt matatu damaged in the anti-IEBC protests on Monday,
Until the Jubilee side measured up to their standards, CORD would not take them seriously or commit to talks with them.
The coalition had also threatened to return to the streets and demonstrate if the two sides would not reach an agreement over IEBC.
“We have always maintained that demonstrations are not an end but a means to the end…we will review the position with regards to the demos,” He said in an interview with KTN immediately after Uhuru’s speech yesterday, Wednesday, June 8.
It remains to be seen if they will follow through with their threat considering the government ban in place barring any demonstrations in the country.
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