NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 24- NARC party leader Martha Karua says she is disappointed with the extended National Dialogue Talks stating that Ruto regime is not committed.
During and interview with TV 47 on Monday, Karua said President William Ruto’s administration is buying time and any meaningful negotiations should not take longer than 30 days.
“I am deeply disappointed that we keep on moving the deadline for the talks. Initially it was to end by end of August and now it is extended by 30 days going to November, I do not know whether Jesus will return as we still carry on the talks,” she said.
“I am very uncomfortable with the Bipartisan talks. The Ruto regime is buying time. We are dealing with very slippery characters in Ruto’s regime starting with himself. Any serious talks will not last more than 30 days.”
Karua claimed the committee’s plan to go to parliament and present a motion is an attempt to drag out and slow down negotiations because it is only the agreements reached by the two parties must be presented to parliament.
“It not necessary to go pass a motion, it is the agreements that you bring is taken to parliament to be passed either as legislation or as policy. So even going to parliament is dilly dally or filibustering,” she said.
Karua claimed the rulling party is buying time and is not committed to the talks since it is bringing up its own problems that were unrelated to the Azimio la Umoja protests which was protesting about the cost of living.
“The Ruto regime needs time, and the Kenyans needs actions and for them time is a savior, and why are they prioritizing constitutional amendment like that was the crisis. The crisis is cost of living and has trembled the economy of the country,” she said.
Karua gave the example of the Inter-Parties Parliamentary Group (IPPG) negotiations, in which she stated to have participated and which was concluded in just two weeks.
She noted that even though it was an ad hoc committee of parliament, in the two weeks they had completed constitutional and legal changes.
“If you remember the post-election crisis of 2007, their talks took just a month, they were very serious, we had a bigger problem than we have now, and it only took a month. This shows that the regime is not serious,” she added.
This comes as the National Assembly on October 17 gave National Dialogue Committee on Kenya Kwanza, Azimio bipartisan talks another 30 days to conclude its report on electoral justice and the fidelity to political parties.
This is after the committee sought an extension of thirty days to finalize its report on five thematic issues.
In a notice of motion presented by National Assembly Leader Kimani Ichung’wah, the Committee wanted to present its report to President William Ruto and Azimio La Umoja Leader Raila Odinga on or before November 26.
“Currently as the resolution as passed by both houses of parliament require the committee to report to the leadership of Kenya Kwanzaa and as mere correlations within 60 days from 29 August 2023,” Ichung’wah stated.
“Now, therefore, the Houses of Parliament resolve to extend the mandate of the national dialogue committee by a further 30 days from 28th October 2023. and consequently, the committee shall be required to report to the leadership of Kenya Kwanza and Azimio coalition’s.”
The National Assembly Majority Leader stated that so far they have made progress in conducting public participation and stakeholder engagements in line with the Constitution.
