Why Babu Owino and Robert Alai are against talks with Kenya Kwanza
Kileleshwa Member of County Assembly Mr Robert Alai has said he will not support the revived talks between the Kenya Kwanza government and Azimio la Umoja – One Kenya Coalition to unlock the political stalemate in the country.
Mr Alai has further said he will join hands with the likes of Embakasi East MP Babu Owino to champion a parallel initiative.
The controversial MCA appears to have been angered by Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichungwa’s claims which insinuated that Azimio la Umoja is not interested in lowering the cost of living in the country.
This after Mr Ichungwa, who is also the Leader of Majority in the National Assembly, shared a letter on his Facebook page on Saturday which indicated that the Azimio brigade was only interested in the creation of the office of the opposition leader, reconstitution of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), implementation of the 2/3 party gender rule, the entrenchment of the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) and the embedment of the Office of the Prime Cabinet Secretary among.
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Conspicuously missing in the statement shared by Mr Ichungwa was the lowering of the cost of living in the country, which has been at the core of Azimio la Umoja’s series of anti-government protests in recent weeks.
“If the cost of living is not part of the negotiations, me and Babu Owino will demand that we have a parallel initiative which is away from this Kalongolongo,” Mr Alai said, while reacting to Mr Mr Ichungwa’s claims.
The vocal MCA, who is serving his first term in the County Assembly, further said it is unfortunate that people died for what has now been turned into a joke.
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Mr Owino has similarly rubbished Mr Ichungwa’s letter, saying it did not touch the agenda of the cost of living.
“Total nonsense. Where is the cost of living among the terms of reference? We better talk on the streets,” the MP said.
In recent weeks, Mr Raila Odinga has led Azimio la Umoja in staging a series of anti-government protests in an effort to compel the government to address the rising cost of living in the country.
At the height of the political stalemate, both President William Ruto and Mr Odinga appeared to be unwilling to find a common ground. However, following Azimio la Umoja’s decision to call off the protests, the two leaders now appear to be ready to resolve their differences.
The Sunday Nation has reported that the President quietly met the opposition leader in Mombasa on Friday evening in the presence of retired Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo.