Kenya Kwanza bipartisan talks team members on Tuesday, May 1, indicated that they were ready to accept some of the demands made by their Azimio counterparts to see the process through to fruition.
In a statement released by nominated Senator Esther Okenyuri, the team revealed that it was ready to 'bend in different directions over and over again so that these talks are successful'.
While issuing the appeal, the team indicated that they were ready to listen to some of the demands made by the Azimio team before pulling the plug on the talks.
One of the main demands by the Azimio bipartisan team was that Kenya Kwanza drops Eldas Member of Parliament Adan Keynan from its lineup arguing that his Jubilee Party was still a member of the Azimio Coalition.
“We wish to state our unwavering commitment to the bipartisan talks wholeheartedly and in utmost good faith.
“We have called upon our colleagues from Azimio la Umoja side to give such a commitment but this has not been forthcoming. We still repeat this call to them," read the statement in part.
The team further indicated that its readiness to resume talks immediately was influenced by President William Ruto's constant calls for peace across the country.
"We are prepared, for the sake of our beloved country Kenya, to bend in different directions over and over again so that these talks are successful as we heed the call from President William Ruto for peace and for a dialogue over the issues of mutual interest affecting Kenyans.,” the team added.
For the talks to continue, the team, however, requested Azimio team led by Rarieda MP Otiende Amollo to drop protests.
Its members maintained that Azimio did not act in good faith by continually holding protests while calling for dialogue.
“There cannot be dialogue simultaneously with street protests. The two cannot go together. Either we talk or they demonstrate.
“We now call upon the Azimio La Umoja team through their co-chairperson, Rarieda Member of Parliament Otiende Amollo, to reconsider their position vis a vis the absolute good of the country and wewill resume the talks immediately,” added the statement
The bipartisan talks collapsed on Tuesday, April 25, after Azimio team revealed that it had failed to reach a consensus on the inclusion of Keynan in the team.
"Until then, we have hit a stalemate and chose to suspend these talks until such time as there may be consensus or position changes," Amollo stated at the time.
After suspending the talks, Azimio called for mass protests on Tuesday, May 2, to petition the government on the high cost of living and opening of Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) election servers.
