The bipartisan parliamentary committee on Friday, May 5, settled on having joint secretaries nominated outside Parliament as was demanded by former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
During the first meeting of the resumed talks, the committee's co-chair George Murugara announced that President William Ruto's Kenya Kwanza side settled on lawyer Muthomi Thiankolu.
Azimio, on the other hand, nominated lawyer Paul Mwangi as its representative.
The committee indicated that the joint secretaries would help guide the committee in its mandate even as they decide on the model of engagements.
Murugara added that the committee had made headways following the resumption of the talks, agreeing on how to handle several issues.
"We were to discuss the tabling of issues to be addressed. We have agreed upon a number and those that we have not agreed upon will be discussed," he stated.
On the other hand, Rarieda Member of Parliament Otiende Amollo - who serves as the committee's co-chair - intimated that they were also considering expanding the talks outside Parliament - another irreducible minimum demanded by Raila.
He expressed that the committee would discuss the matter in the coming week and issue a way forward.
"The first issue to be discussed is whether it will be a parliamentary process, and the second is whether it could be by the executive gazettement under Article 131.
"It can be dealt with outside of Parliament and the executive by involving the public before being brought back to Parliament," he stated.
The bipartisan committee resumed talks on May 5, a day after Azimio la Umoja called off its planned countrywide demonstrations.
The move was necessitated by the Kenya Kwanza team ceding to some of Raila's demands, which included replacing Eldas MP Adan Keynan with Saku MP Ali Rasso Dido.
Other reports indicated that Ruto contacted Raila to call off the demos owing to the high-level dignitaries arriving in Kenya, including United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
