Disagreements as Ruto, Raila Teams Differ on 2022 Election Audit
President William Ruto and opposition leader Raila Odinga's talks team is heading to Nakuru for a week-long retreat, as they face a deadlock over certain issues.
The National Dialogue Committee, a 10-member group, is confronted with dissenting views about the kind of audit to be conducted in the presidential election held on August 9, 2022. The opposition urges a meticulous audit while President Ruto's Kenya Kwanza has given its consent to audit only if the audit includes all elective positions. Another point of contention between the two camps is the selection process for two additional members of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) selection panel. The talks team had previously agreed to increase the panel's membership from seven to nine.
As per regulation, the selection committee must be composed of nominees from diverse entities like the Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC), the Inter-Religious Council of Kenya, and the Law Society of Kenya (LSK), a representative from the Public Service Commission (PSC), Political Parties Liaison Committee (PPLC), along with one male and one female member. However, there is a problem brewing regarding the designation of minority leadership in the National Assembly, which could additionally interrupt conversations.
The parliamentary leadership has expressed their concerns regarding the dispute over the removal of nominated MP Sabina Chege as Deputy Minority Whip. Despite the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya settling on Mark Mwenje as Ms Chege's replacement, the decision remains unimplemented due to ongoing legal proceedings. As per the schedule, the dialogue committee is set to address a range of contentious matters, including the audit of election results, cost of living, and restructuring of the IEBC. On Monday morning, the team will review public submissions, memoranda, and stakeholder input, among other topics.
In the afternoon, under the joint leadership of Kalonzo Musyoka and Kimani Ichung'wah, the team will negotiate the audit of the presidential election. The technical team is expected to present suggestions on the potential frameworks and scope of the audit to the committee. Following this, the members will have a 30-minute session for plenary discussions. According to an anonymous member of the talks team, the committee has reached broad agreements but has yet to delve into specific details. They also highlighted that Kenya Kwanza's demand to extend the audit to all elective positions has further complicated the matter.