President William Ruto has lifted the lid on why the cost of living was left out in his government's agreement with the Azimio la Umoja coalition - a concern that was raised by the opposition.
Speaking during the Interdenominational Church Service at Ukunda Showground in Kwale County on Sunday, July 30, the head of state noted that the plan to lower the cost of living was already a part of Kenya Kwanza's manifesto.
He argued that the government would stick to its plan and not factor in Azimio's demands in lowering the cost of living.
The President, however, assured Kenyans that all other issues will be factored in during the discussions.
"There are other leaders saying that the issues are yet to be discussed. What about the cost of living? This is already in our manifesto. It cannot be solved the way they want; through maandamano and other antics.
"We are already implementing the manifesto that is moving towards lowering the cost of living. Fertiliser will soon cost Ksh2,500. We have a whole program that will be catered towards that," he stated.
The Head of State noted that he held discussions with the opposition and the parties agreed that his administration would not tolerate violence across the country.
"I am obligated to make sure every Kenyan, whether they supported my policy or not, is safe and their properties are guaranteed. Moving forward, our politics will be devoid of violence," he stated.
National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung'wah, who was at the event, argued that the two camps will only factor in issues centered on the public's wellbeing.
"We are not in the business of handshake. We shall engage on issues that are people-centric," Ichung'wah maintained.
Azimio la Umoja had distanced itself from the Kenya Kwanza agreement arguing that the main issues that pushed them to the streets were not considered in the terms of engagement.
The opposition reiterated that their four-point agenda was the cost of living, electoral audit reforms, noninterference in coalitions and their constituent parties, and accountability and probe into police brutality that has claimed dozens of innocent lives.
However, the issues that prevailed on the Kenya Kwanza's statement included reconstitution of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), implementation of the 2/3 gender rule and entrenchment of the Constituency Development Fund (CDF), the establishment and the entrenchment of the Office of the Leader of the Opposition and the embedment of the office of Prime Cabinet Secretary.
