Kenya Kwanza should choose someone comparable to Kalonzo in leading talks, not Ichung'wah - Ososti

According to Senator Osotsi, the Kenya Kwanza camp has demonstrated a lack of good faith in the choice of their team, proposing that they should match up to the calibre of leaders representing the Azimio team. 

In his view, Kenya Kwanza's team lead Kimani Ichung'wah cannot be comparable to Azimio's team lead Kalonzo Musyoka and someone else of a better repute should be handed the role.

"The leader of our team is Kalonzo Musyoka a man with an international stature look at the other side they are being led by a heckler called Kimani Ichung'wah. I hope that they will do better in these talks," he said.

"[We wanted] at least someone who is comparable to Kalonzo. Maybe they should have tried somebody like my brother Musalia Mudavadi against Kalonzo that would make sense. But now bringing Ichung'wah a man who can be compared to Kariuki Chotara in the KANU days."

Osotsi was speaking on Citizen TV's Daybreak show on Monday.

He also argued that at the start of the talks, the Azimio team welcomed the indulgence of the public to the talks but Ichung'wah was quick to shun away media from covering the meeting.

"You know they had challenged us they wanted it to be public and we said we are ready. When they went for the first meeting, the first person to oppose the live interview was Kimani Ichung'wah. Azimio was prepared to make it live," he said.

The legislator went on to add that Kenya Kwanza has replicated the same in the previous talks which turned futile saying "It is like going into a match with team A and the other team is bringing team D to compete."

The first round of the fresh talks was held on August 9 conducted by a 10-member joint committee, 5 members representing each camp.

Led by Majority Leader Ichung'wah, Kenya Kwanza's team comprises Senate Majority Leader Aaron Cheruiyot and Embu Governor Cecily Mbarire, Hassan Omar and Catherine Wambilianga. 

Azimio's side includes Kalonzo, Minority Party Leader Opiyo Wandayi, DAP Party Leader Eugene Wamalwa, Nyamira Senator Okon'go Omogeni and Malindi MP Amina Mnyazi.

Among issues that will set the mood for the talks include the period the deliberations will take, with Azimio having already pronounced itself that should the talks not amount to anything by the end of August, protests will resume in September.

The exact agenda is the subject of contention as Azimio seeks to have the high cost of living, a review of the 2022 General Election, and the bipartisan reorganisation of Kenya's electoral commission (IEBC) as some of the issues to be addressed.

Other issues include respect for political parties in accordance with the constitution and inclusivity in governmental affairs.

Kenya Kwanza, on the other hand, wants the reconstitution of the IEBC, implementation of the two-thirds gender rule, the establishment of the opposition leader's official office, the entrenchment of the Constituency Development Fund, and the embedding of the Prime Cabinet Secretary's office as the issues they want to bring up.