Political analyst Herman Manyora says that the National Dialogue talks are going nowhere because the fate of the talks was sealed the moment the Senate adopted the motion to embed the talks in law.
He said the issues that resulted from the bipartisan talks were extra-legal, and that is what needs to be addressed, insisting that addressing these issues cannot happen in parliament, but through a national conversation.
“Dead on arrival. The Bomas talks are going nowhere. The fate was sealed today after the Senate passed the motion embedding the talks into law. … report to parliament… The issues over which people went to the streets, and died, were outside the law. Extra legal. Extra constitutional.
“What we need to address is the political question that has bogged us down since independence. This cannot be done within the confines of parliament. We need a national conversation that will deliver a national charter,” Manyora stated.
His remarks come after the Senate adopted the National Dialogue Committee led by National Assembly Majority leader Kimani Ichung’wah who represents Kenya Kwanza and Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka for the Azimio side.
The NDC had earlier been adopted by the National Assembly. This now means that the NDC has 60 days to present its report to the National Assembly and the Senate.
The NDC is expected to recommend appropriate legal and policy reforms on issues affecting Kenyans in line with the constitution and respecting the functional and institutional integrity of state organs.
Kenya Kwanza had initially raised the reconstitution of the IEBC, implementation of two-thirds gender rule, the entrenchment of the Constituency Development Fund, and the establishment, entrenchment of the Office of the Leader of the Opposition and embedment of the Office of Prime Cabinet Secretary as the items for discussion.
Azimio named the cost of living, audit of the 2022 presidential election results, restructuring and reconstitution of the IEBC. It also wants interference with political parties by the executive discussed.
By Hallan Emodia