Ekuru Aukot, the leader of the Third Way Alliance party, has voiced his scepticism regarding the ongoing bipartisan discussions between leaders from the ruling Kenya Kwanza alliance and the opposition Azimio la Umoja coalition, deeming them a futile endeavor.
Speaking on Citizen TV’s Day Break program on Tuesday, Aukot suggested that these dialogues, initiated by the opposition to address their concerns with the government, indicate a lack of confidence on the part of President William Ruto in his legitimate victory in the 2022 General Election.
“The problem with these talks is that they are a waste of time and resources, but it also, in a way, confirms that President William Ruto isn’t confident that he actually won the election fairly. If he did, and I believe he did, why is he entertaining a conversation with someone who lost?” Aukot questioned.
Among Azimio’s demands are a reduction in the cost of living, an audit of the 2022 General Election servers, bipartisan reconstitution of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), and greater inclusion in national affairs and respect for political parties.
However, the leader of the Third Way Alliance sees these discussions as an oversimplification of the nation’s discourse, reducing it to a dialogue between President Ruto and Azimio leader Raila Odinga.
“This conversation about our country is being reduced to Raila and Ruto, yet Kenya belongs to more than 50 million people,” he emphasized.
Aukot suggested that if he were President Ruto, he would advise the opposition to address their concerns through Parliament by filing a motion of censure or impeachment, rather than engaging in dialogues.
Aukot accused Azimio of evading critical issues affecting Kenyans, such as the recently passed Finance Bill, in favor of political maneuvering.
Notably, over nine Azimio MPs did not vote in June on the contentious bill, which increased taxation, with some members being abroad for parliamentary trips.
The dialogue team has set a five-point agenda, including outstanding constitutional matters, electoral justice, entrenching funds into the Constitution, establishing and securing state offices, and adherence to political parties/coalitions and the law on multiparty democracy.
Despite this, Azimio has indicated they will explore other options if the bipartisan talks do not yield positive outcomes.
On Sunday, Odinga and Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka stated that the opposition would not engage in unproductive dialogue without signs of addressing their concerns.
Kalonzo emphasized, “Before we talk about 2027, we must resolve 2022, and that’s why we have these bipartisan talks. We want to address electoral injustices.”
Odinga added that they had suspended anti-government protests to give the government an opportunity to engage in dialogue.
However, if President William Ruto’s administration does not cooperate, they will consider alternative means of expressing their grievances, including the possibility of resuming street demonstrations.
Odinga has previously hinted at the return of protests if the talks fail to produce results, with recent demonstrations resulting in over 20 fatalities. Talks in April and May broke down amid accusations of sabotage from both sides.
