The sudden presence of US Senator Chris Coons in the country has caused a new rift in the ongoing Azimio, Kenya Kwanza talks.
The Delaware Senator arrived in Kenya and met Raila Odinga at an undisclosed residence in Nairobi.
The senator is no stranger in Nairobi.
Senator Coons was key in getting retiring President Uhuru Kenyatta and Opposition leader Raila Odinga together, resulting in the handshake that Kenya Kwanza has violently rejected.
In March 2023, Coons arrived to mediate a solution to the looming Maandamano chaos.
After meeting President Ruto, DP Rigathi Gachagua, and Raila Odinga, Ruto invited Raila to Bipartisan talks, effectively ending Maandamano.
However, the talks collapsed, and Coons has returned to the country, just in time for the Bomas Bilateral talks in Nairobi.
The committee’s handling of Azimio’s requests to involve members of the diplomatic corps and religious leaders in the talks has been put on hold until a framework for their inclusion is agreed upon.
Raila Odinga has mentioned the hand of Former Nigeria President Obasanjo in mediating solutions. A claim that the Kenya Kwanza team has never verified.
With Coons ‘In the mix’ the talks have been largely rumoured to end in a handshake or a similar event.
With some of the issues expected to create bills and maybe a review of the law, the technical committee is expected to collaborate with the parliament’s secretariat to begin its drafting.
The technical committee will meet throughout the week to address preliminary concerns such as the duration of the talks, noting that the Azimio coalition has vowed to resume public protests if a resolution is not achieved by the end of the month.
