Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua on Sunday, April 30, revealed that it was President William Ruto who pulled the plug on bipartisan talks.
Speaking during musician Muigai wa Njoroge's 25th-anniversary celebrations in Thika, Kiambu County, the DP revealed that Ruto had a change of heart after he sensed a lack of goodwill from the opposition.
Gachagua revealed that Azimio lacked honesty because its principals sought to hold talks and demonstrations concurrently.
"Our members of Parliament can only engage their counterparts from Azimio in the bipartisan Parliamentary discussions when there are no demonstrations. We directed our Members of Parliament led by National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung'wah that there should be no talks as long as Azimio holds the demonstrations.
“It is either a Parliamentary process or demonstrations. You cannot have the two," the DP explained why the bipartisan talks collapsed.
While the DP took a hardline stance that there would be no simultaneous demonstrations and bi-partisan talks, he disagreed with the police department that Azimio should not hold demonstrations in the capital.
"You are free to go for demonstrations on Tuesday and make as much noise as you wish but there should be no destruction of property of other Kenyans," he added.
Earlier, Nairobi Police Boss Adamson Bungei had banned Azimio from holding mass demonstrations scheduled for Tuesday, May 2.
“Previous demonstrations were nothing but peaceful and as such, by this letter, we are declining to allow Azimio to proceed," Bungei stated.
Azimio Leader Raila Odinga, through a statement, however, remarked that the planned demonstrations would continue despite the police directive.
“We will exercise our right to assemble, demonstrate, picket and present petitions on Tuesday, May 2, 2023, as earlier announced, dark threats notwithstanding,” a statement dated Sunday, April 30, read in part.
Unlike previous demonstrations, Raila disclosed that Tuesday, May 2, protests would involve a march within the Central Business District (CBD).
During the demonstrations, the coalition will take its grievances to the Office of the President, The National Treasury, the Public Service Commission and the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission.
