Embattled Jubilee Party Secretary General Jeremiah Kioni on Monday claimed that Azimio got a raw deal in the just concluded Bipartisan Talks, whose recommendations have already been shared by co-chairmen Kalonzo Musyoka and Kimani Ichung'wah.
Kioni who was a member of the technical team in the National Dialogue Committee (NADCO) remarked that he did not agree with the recommendations presented by the Committee in the final report.
The former parliamentarian alleged that Kenya Kwanza had been preaching water and drinking wine even as the talks were ongoing. Kioni claimed that the government used the talks as a time wastage tactic to keep the opposition at bay.
He gave the example of the government's move to increase the prices of basic commodities such as fuel as the best illustration of this argument.
“We would be locked in a house (BOMAS) and at the same time they would be increasing fuel prices and the National Identity Card application fee,” Kioni complained.
The politician remarked that he kept asking his colleagues why Kenya Kwanza was increasing the prices of essential commodities while talks were ongoing as the two camps explored ways to bring down the cost of living.
He was further incensed by the fact that the people increasing the prices and taxes were part of NADCO.
“These guys are not honest and they are wasting our time and that is why I said it is a con game,” Kioni dismissed the recommendations.
Kioni further noted that some of the recommendations needed a constitutional amendment. Nonetheless, he expressed confidence that Azimio leader Raila Odinga would reject them.
In particular, he faulted the team which he was part of, for proposing the creation of the Office of the Opposition Leader.
“If it is a question of the creation of offices, I can always tell you, that Raila Odinga went into detention for 8 years to get this constitution. I am certain he is not one who is going to allow amendments through the back door,” Kioni stated.
Kioni is the second Azimio politician who was part of NADCO to distance himself from the committee's recommendations.
On Sunday, former Defence Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa vowed not to append his signature to the final NADCO report over the recommendations.
Wamalwa who was part of NADCO claimed he was not satisfied with how the team had handled the issue of cost of living.
