1 Thing That Made Uhuru, Raila Talks Fail

New details have emerged revealing that proposed talks between President Uhuru Kenyatta and opposition leader Raila Odinga were set to take off but were derailed by the insistence of the opposition on having electoral justice on the agenda.

According to a report by The Nation, the talks fronted by envoys were to take place last month but the thorny issue of electoral reforms led to the plan being dropped.

Apparently, the National Super Alliance's (NASA) insistence on tweaking the electoral system was seen by the ruling Jubilee Party as a decoy that would be used to trigger a fresh Presidential election.

Deputy President William Ruto was also said to have been strongly opposed to any move that would negatively impact his chances of taking over as President in 2022.

President Kenyatta had reportedly agreed to most of NASA's agenda for the talks; particularly police reforms, strengthening devolution and improving the Judiciary.

[caption caption="US Ambassador Bob Godec"][/caption]

US Ambassador Bob Godec, who has led the push for dialogue, is said to have met the NASA leadership at least 12 times in an attempt to convince them to drop the oath plan.

Principal Deputy assistant Secretary at the US government’s Bureau of African Affairs Donald Yamamoto, however, personally intervened to have Kalonzo Musyoka, Musalia Mudavadi and Moses Wetangula stay away from the swearing-in.

The report claims that sources within the US embassy disclosed that the three were threatened with sanctions.

Only Raila refused to bow to pressure and was sworn in as the 'People's President' in front of a packed Uhuru Park on January 30.

A crackdown on opposition figures and the media has since followed the event.

[caption caption="Raila Odinga and President Uhuru Kenyatta at a past event"][/caption]