Azimio leader Raila Odinga on Monday, May 8, issued a 48-hour ultimatum to President William to put his team together for the bipartisan talks or he would opt out.
Addressing a press briefing, the Azimio leader stated that after agreeing to call off mass protests across the country and agreeing to the talks, the president had become reluctant.
Raila explained that the Azimio team acted in good faith to agree to talks because they believed that the Kenya Kwanza team were serious about it.
However, they learnt that they were pressured into agreeing to the talks because international guests were coming into the country.
“We acted in good faith to call off the demonstrations because Kenya Kwanza had approached us and said they were ready for talks and that they would remove Adan Keynan who they had put as one of their delegates.
“We knew that the real reason they were doing it was because they were expecting visitors who were coming into town and they did not want demonstrations at the time,” Raila stated.
Raila asked the Kenya kwanza coalition to find a way of putting their team together by Wednesday noting that the team kept telling them that some members were not available.
He insisted that the talks had to begin on Wednesday, May 10, 2023, or they will explore other options at their disposal.
“They are saying that members are not available and they don't have a quorum to begin discussions.
“We have given them Monday and Tuesday. The talks must start on Wednesday. If they are not ready we will treat that agreement as cancelled and explore other options available to us,” Raila stated.
Earlier on Wednesday, May 3, the Kenya Kwanza bipartisan team replaced Eldas Member of Parliament Adan Keynan after he agreed to step down from the line-up.
The team urged Raila and his team to consider the good gesture and return to the negotiation table.
