Opposition chief Raila Odinga was in Murang’a Thursday for a town hall meeting that was scheduled despite a police ban.
Raila arrived shortly after 11:40 am while in the company of Narc Kenya leader Martha Karua, and other Mt Kenya leaders affiliated to the Azimio coalition.
Raila assured Murang’a residents that the meeting would be peaceful.
“Like all engagements that the party has held in recent months, the Murang’a meeting will be peaceful and strictly within the law. I personally look forward to this engagement,” he said.
Raila urged residents to turn up in large numbers and freely engage on the issues affecting them, saying similar engagements will be held in other parts of the country over the next couple of weeks.
Azimio’s Murang’a meeting was expected to take place concurrently with the bipartisan talks between the opposition and the Kenya Kwanza administration in Nairobi.
The talks which had almost collapsed were taking place at the Serena Hotel.
The Kenya Kwanza team for the bipartisan talks comprises senators Boni Khalwale (Kakamega), Hillary Sigei (Bomet), Esther Okenyuri (Nominated), MPs Adan Keynan (Eldas), George Murugara (Tharaka), Mwengi Mutuse (Kibwezi West) and Taita Taveta Woman Representative Lydia Haika.
Azimo picked senators Ledama ole Kina (Narok), Edwin Sifuna (Nairobi), Enoch Wambua (Kitui), MPs Millie Odhiambo (Suba North), David Pkosing (Pokot South), Otiende Amollo (Rarieda) and Amina Mnyazi (Malindi).
The 14-member ad-hoc team will be expected to set the ground rules of the talks whose outcome will be tabled in Parliament within 90 days.
There was confusion on Wednesday over the fate of the bipartisan talks after Azimio and Kenya Kwanza called for a meeting in different locations.
Wiper Leader Kalonzo Musyoka on Wednesday accused Kenya Kwanza of approaching the dialogue in bad faith for failing to name the leadership of their team.
“To date, Kenya Kwanza has failed to name the leadership of its team as a way of stonewalling,” said Kalonzo.
