Bipartisan parliamentary talks between the Kenya Kwanza and Azimio la Umoja committees have stalled.
This comes after continued squabbling over the composition of a joint bipartisan committee and the commencement of Azimio coalition-called protests.
The 14-member committee was supposed to meet today, but it didn't because the Azimio team failed to show up, seeking the resignation of Eldas MP Adan Keynan.
In a press conference at parliament buildings, Tharaka MP George Murugara chastised Azimio for protesting during talks.
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Murugara stated they have a problem with Azimio because they want negotiations and demonstrations, which cannot coexist. Adding that they must either talk or they must demonstrate
Senate majority whip Bonny Khalwale, a bipartisan committee member, encouraged the Azimio team to call off the protests and resume negotiations.
He stated that whether people like it or not, they can go to demos today, tomorrow, and every other day, but demos would not restore sanity, but dialogue will. He urged Raila to allow members of his committee to continue negotiations.
Murugara, the committee's co-chair, stated that his counterpart, Otiende Amollo, has declined to fulfil the invitation, but he remains hopeful that reason would prevail.
He said that he has reservations over some issues and that they won't honour the invitation today, but we have yet to give up. Despite all this, we are prepared to bend repeatedly in whatever direction we are given to make these talks successful, and there is no issue more significant than the country. He concluded by saying that they were ready to listen to the opposition.
However, in a quick retort, the Azimio team insisted that Keynan be removed from the committee before talks could resume.
Keynan's inclusion in the Kenya Kwanza coalition, according to committee co-chair Otiende Amollo, was disingenuous.
Otiende also rejected the proposal that the protests be called off before discussions could resume.
