Nairobi senator, Edwin Sifuna, on Monday, April 10, lifted the lid on how Azimio leader Raila Odinga planned to contain Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and other Kenya Kwanza hardliners accused of opposing peace talks.
While appearing at NTV, the first-term legislator revealed that Raila instructed the 14-member team chosen by Azimio La Umoja to represent it in bipartisan to desist from engaging in a war of words and public confrontations with Ruto's diehards.
Sifuna disclosed the plan minutes after declining to respond to Gachagua’s assertion that there would be no handshake between Raila and President William Ruto.
“Raila Odinga had a sit-down with all of us and asked us not to say anything that should jeopardise the proposed dialogue in our public utterances.
“We were pointed out certain leaders in Kenya Kwanza that we should neither listen to nor respond to,” Sifuna stated.
In particular, Sifuna pointed out that, as Azimio, they were not considering remarks made by Gachagua, economist David Ndii, and National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah over the Raila-Ruto truce.
“We have decided that the only person we will directly engage is the President since he was the one who called for the truce.
“When Ruto was extending an olive branch to Raila, Gachagua was by his side. If he had reservations he could have spoken then,” he explained why Azimio was ignoring the Deputy President.
On Thursday, April 6, Gachagua remarked that should the President have a handshake with Raila, he would dissociate himself from the dialogue process.
“Those people should leave me alone. I am not a hardliner; I am just saying what my bosses - the voters - want.
“He had a handshake with our prince - President (Rtd) Uhuru Kenyatta - who was a good person full of respect, but later, you all saw what happened. Even if there is a handshake, I, as Rigathi Gachagua, will not be there,” Gachagua stated back then.
Gachagua’s sentiments were backed by Ichung’wah, who declared that handshake was not an option.
"I can confirm the President has not even met with Raila Odinga, he has not even spoken with him, leave alone handshake.
“Whether you call me hardliner or wherever the people who voted for us said they want William Ruto and Rigathi Gachagua to divide the bread to every Kenyan. And I do hold the knife. And I will not give the knife to someone who has never passed through it,” the Kikuyu Member of Parliament remarked on Thursday, April 6.
Sifuna remarked that while Azimio will continue ignoring those utterances, they would be back on the streets if Ruto did not move with speed to address their demands.
“We gave the President a one-week ultimatum and if we do not see any significant progress, we will have no option but to go back on the streets,” Sifuna warned.
Sifuna further revealed that the 14-member team chosen by Azimio wanted to work outside parliament. The members are; Senator Ledama Ole Kina (Narok), Senator Edwin Sifuna (Nairobi), MP Millie Odhiambo (Suba North), Senator Enock Wambua (Kitui), MP Amina Mnyazi (Malindi), MP David Pkosing (Pokot South) and MP Otiende Amollo (Rarieda).
“What we are saying is that Parliament is bound by standing orders, we want to take this conversation outside parliament and after reaching an agreement we will take it to the floor of parliament for approval,” Sifuna stated.
Kenya Kwanza was expected to name their team of parliamentarians to take part in the bipartisan talks on Tuesday, April 11.
