Azimio Party Leader Raila Odinga says that the President’s statement on Sunday, when he urged party leader to call off the nationwide anti-government protests, did not meet the demands made by the Azimio La imoja One Kenya Alliance.
In the President’s statement on Sunday, the President proposed a bi-partisan engagement in Parliament on the reconstitution of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission(IEBC) but did not address the demands Azimio made on the country’s high cost of living.
Speaking in Nairobi on Tuesday, following a meting of Azimio’s leaders, Odinga said he wants the president’s government to first address inflated food, fuel and electricity prices in the country.
“Mr Ruto made his statement but that was not the basis of the understanding between the parties negotiating between us. The statement he fell short of what had been agreed and they know it. Our statement reiterates firmly what will be our basis of engagement with Kenya Kwanza,” said Odinga.
“We resolved that the regime must take immediate stops to bring back the cost of unga to Ksh.100 as the time of the elections…we further resolved that Kenya Kwanza must take immediate steps to lower the cost of fuel and put a freeze and put a freeze on the recent increase in the cost of electricity. These are not matters for a committee,” he added
New Suggestion
The Leader also pointed out that President’s Ruto suggestion to have the bi-partisan engagement in Parliament may not serve its intended purpose, adding that Azimio wants to have a conversation at the National level through a process similar to the 2008 National Accord, which was negotiated by Kofi Annan.
“Our suggestion is to have a conversation at the national level through a process akin to the 2008National Accord. To this end , the coalition proposes a team drawn from its ranks both in Parliament and outside Bunge,” said Raila.
He also said that the introduction of electoral reforms is still a matter of importance to the opposition.
“This meeting agreed that auditing the 2022 election servers is necessary and urgent,” he said.
Raila also said that the state must reduce the medical bills of persons injured or killed during the protests.
The party leader also dismissed claims hat he held a meeting with President Ruto for an agreement, instead he said that it was the government side that reached out to him.
“The request came from the other side and our people responded and gave conditions. There have been allegations that i met Mr. Ruto is the Mara…nothing can be further from the truth. There has been no meeting between me and Mr. Ruto.”
Raila also found fault at the allegations that he was only leading the protests in hopes of engaging a political agreement with the President.
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