Gachagua Asks Ruto to Strike Out One Agenda From Bipartisan Talks
- by KIOKO NYAMASYO on Sunday, 10 September 2023
Gachagua on Sunday expressed his opposition to the items submitted for discussion by Azimio in the ongoing bipartisan talks.
https://twitter.com/i/status/1700247183415824776
Speaking during a church service in Meru County, Gachagua explicitly underscored that he is uncomfortable with the opposition’s demands to have the results of the 2022 presidential election audited.
The Deputy President asked President William Ruto to have the talking point dropped saying that the committee does not have the power to deliberate on the issue.
“I, together with millions of supporters, was against these talks with Azimio people but when you decided we talk, we agreed as we could not argue with you,” Gachagua said during the meeting.
National Dialogue Committee Co-chairs Kalonzo Musyoka (left) and Kimani Ichung’wah presents a framework agreement and agenda that will be the basis of the talks on August 30, 2023.
“But there’s one agenda we do not agree with. To audit the 2022 general election.”
Gachagua stressed that the Kenyan constitution does not give anybody or any agency the power to audit the results of a presidential election.
Gachagua explained that the Committee co-chaired by Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka and Kimani Ichung’wah erred by introducing this particular issue into the agenda.
According to the Deputy President, the discussion should have ended after the Supreme Court pronounced itself on the matter.
“That (auditing of the presidential election) we do not agree with. We would like that agenda to be dropped from those talks,” he pleaded.
Speaking immediately after his Deputy, President William Ruto steered clear of the issue, and addressed other issues instead such as anti-government protests, businesses and national unity.
While the ruling Kenya Kwanza coalition was initially opposed to discussing the auditing of the presidential election results, the two main political formations reached an agreement and the item is now firmly part and parcel of the ceasefire talks.
Other issues to be discussed include; boundary delimitation and restructuring and reconstitution of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).
The committee has until the end of October to present its findings to the President and Azimio Leader Raila Odinga as well as the general public.