Azimio la Umoja Coalition has released a list of members of its dialogue committee trusted to spearhead talks with President William Ruto's Kenya Kwanza Coalition.
A statement dated Monday, July 31, indicated that the five-member team will be led by Wiper Leader Kalonzo Musyoka.
Other members include the National Assembly Minority Leader Opiyo Wandayi, DAP Party leader Eugene Wamalwa, Nyamira Senator Okong'o Omogeni and Malindi MP Amina Mnyazi.
"Our position remains that no party to these negotiations can claim a right to determine for the other what to raise and what not to raise.
"Azimio will respect Kenya Kwanza's right to bring all its issues to the table. We expect Kenya Kwanza to do the same with our issues," read the statement in part.
According to the opposition, the main issues to be tabled center around the high cost of living, the audit of the 2022 General Election results, and the bipartisan reconstitution of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Committee (IEBC).
Others are inclusivity in national affairs and respect for political parties in line with the constitution.
"Azimio is keen on a time-bound programme of talks that should take one month beginning August 1, 2023," added the statement.
Earlier, Kenyans.co.ke had reported that Azimio principals, among them Martha Karua and Kalonzo Musyoka, had fallen out over two members allowed to join the committee outside Parliament.
According to our insider, politicians allied to ODM, which is headed by Raila, preferred Wamalwa and Kalonzo while those from Narc Kenya and Jubilee Party demanded the inclusion of Jeremiah Kioni, the former Ndaragwa MP.
High Cost of Living Debate
Earlier, Raila had insisted that the high cost of living must feature among the issues to be discussed insisting that many families had been pushed below the poverty line.
Ruto, however, argued that the cost of living was not necessary in the talks since it formed part of his manifesto and a plan to lower the cost of food was already in motion.
"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," the Head of State explained on Sunday.
Kenya Kwanza is yet to release a list of its members for the talks to kick off.
