Azimio says won’t relent in push for lowering cost of living

As the National Dialogue Committee prepares to pitch camp in Naivasha to write the report, the opposition Azimio la Umoja leaders, used a church service in Kajiado to remind the team of what they termed as their irreducible minimum: lowering the cost of living.

The opposition threatening to pull out of the talks should their partners fail to heed.

“We will be retreating tomorrow for report writing on bipartisan talks, na kama hakuna mambo ya cost of leaving we will not be part of that,” DAP-Kenya party leader Eugene Wamalwa said.

On her part, Narc-Kenya’s Martha Karua said Azimio is not going to be part of the bipartisan talks report if it will not address the issue of the cost of living.

The ten-member bipartisan committee is slated to convene in Naivasha to commence the drafting of the final report on Monday.

However, an impending impasse looms as the opposition levels accusations of insincerity against the Kenya Kwanza faction involved in the discussions.

“We have more than 90 days, mazungumzo haijaisha haiwezi kuisha without sincerity of the Kenya Kwanza side,” Karua said.

Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka added: “Tuko kwa mazungumzo, na we need it to be in good faith.”

The Azimio brigade also condemned the demolitions of houses on the East African Portland cement land in Machakos County.

They termed the manner in which the demolitions were undertaken as inhumane.

“People were not given enough notice to vacate. The exercise was so inhumane, that even leaders were barred from going there. We must take them to the International Court of Justice,” Karua said.

Musyoka added: “What is happening in Mavoko ni jambo la ajabu, Rais alihapa hakutakuwa demolition, wengine wanaenda kwao kusimamisha demolition na mavoko sasa watu karibu 30,000 hawana makao.”

Azimio leader Raila Odinga on his part said, “unafiki na unyama wa aina gani, watu wanachukua loans wajenge mnakuja kuwabomolea halafu mnataka kuuza hiyo shamba.”

The petition by land owners, which was led by Musyoka, before the environment and lands court in Machakos County on Thursday, seeking to halt the ongoing demolition of property in Mavoko, was dismissed.