Cracks have begun emerging within the opposition camp after former Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa opposed a report endorsed by both co-chairs of the National Dialogue Committee (NADCO), Kalonzo Musyoka and Kimani Ichung'wah.
Reacting shortly after the release of the report, Wamalwa, who was part of the bipartisan talks, revealed that he would not append his signature to the report.
He indicated that the parties involved had failed to reach a consensus on how to lower the cost of living which presented a raw deal for Kenyan citizens.
"Informed Kenyans at Tingolo Catholic Church that l didn’t and will not append my signature to the NADCO report and have not, and will not, accept any sitting allowance for the same because l believe we did not do justice to the single most important issue to Kenyans, that is the cost of living," he stated.
According to the recommendations which touched on a wide range of issues, the Kalonzo and Ichung'wah-led committee recommended the evaluation of the 2022 electoral process as well as the expansion of the selection panel from seven to nine members.
The report also called for the creation of the Office of the Leader of the Official Opposition as well as the formal adoption of the Office of Prime Minister.
On the cost of living, however, which was pushed for by the opposition, the two parties failed to reach a consensus leaving the public hanging in the balance.
"The committee was unable to reach a consensus on a number of other proposals on the matter of cost of living, including the reduction of VAT on fuel from 16% to 8%, and scrapping of the housing levy, the twin issues in the Finance Act 2023," read the recommendations in part.
The teams, however, recommended that the state officials should lower their travel budgets by 50 per cent as well as lower Daily Subsistence Allowances for State and Public Officers.
While addressing a congregation in Nyanza Region, former Prime Minister Raila Odinga cast his doubt on the effectiveness of the recommendations reached by the committee.
He argued that President William Ruto's regime had failed to protect lower-income Kenyans including mama mboga traders and boda boda riders despite promising to lower the cost of living for those categories.
"The government promised to uplift the livelihoods of ordinary Kenyans, but have you seen them doing that? Nowadays they just front proposals to increase taxes," lamented.
The Head of State, on the other hand, endorsed the recommendations and promised to implement the report in full.
“You’ve heard that those in charge of the dialogue are done with that work, and we applaud them for finishing that task, now let us join hands and take Kenya forward,” he told a recommendation.
“They have given recommendations all those recommendations are okay. Where they said we lower government spending by 50%, I have done that already. Those calling for the budget cuts to be reduced by 30%, I suggest that they increase it to 50% for Kenya to move forward. We must learn to live within our means."
