Raila pushed to disown statement that missed cost of living in talks

And although the Azimio part of Ichungw'a's statement was not signed, the leaders appeared to blame Raila for team he chose to draft the statement with the KK leadership. Ichungwa's statement had isolated five issues, and framed them unilterally as the sticking issues.

The five were reconstitution of the electoral commission, implementation of the two thirds gender rule, entrenchment of Constituency Development Fund, establishment of the Office of the Leader of the Opposition and finally, the embedment of the Office of the Prime Cabinet Secretary.

"Our priority for discussion is the escalating cost of living which has only got worse with the lifting of the conservatory order on the 2023 Finance Act last week," an Azimio statement read in the presence of Raila by former CS Peter Munya said.

Last week, Munya officially became party leader of the former ruling party, Party of National Unity following a notification of change of party officials made in the Kenya Gazette.

"If cost of living isn't part of the negotiations, me and Hon. Babu Owino will demand that we have a parallel initiative, which is away from this kalongolongo," he wrote, to which Karua responded: "A wish list by the KK; Azimio issues remain the same with cost of living being No.1 priority." Babu had blazed the trail on the matter on Saturday evening, dismissing the list of issues as "total nonsense". They all blamed Raila's trio of comrades for sanctioning the statement, and failing to stop it before it went out.

Yesterday, the Azimio leaders reiterated that they were committed to dialogue and a peaceful resolution of the social, economic and political problems the country is facing and they sanctioned a meeting with Kenya Kwanza, under the facilitation of former President Obasanjo.

Munya confirmed Raila met Ruto in the presence of Obasanjo to prepare ground for honest discussions on pertinent issues they have been raising and those that Kenya Kwanza feel should be addressed.

"In that spirit, we sanctioned a meeting between our leadership and that of Kenya Kwanza, under the facilitation of H E Olusegun Obasanjo," read the statement.

"This initial meeting was to prepare the ground for honest discussions of the issues we have been raising and those that Kenya Kwanza feels like raising. The meeting was therefore a talk about envisaged talks."

Previously, the opposition accused Kenya Kwanza of deceit having denied the presence of Tanzania President Samia Suluhu in Kenya a few weeks ago.