Raila calls on Kenyans to embrace dialogue, dismisses deal between ODM and Ruto

Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Leader Raila Odinga has continued with his calls for what he calls a constructive national dialogue saying it is the right thing to do to resolve the problems facing the nation.

Speaking in Siaya County where he endorsed a government of national unity, Odinga said the conditions set by the opposition include compensation of victims of protests.

Odinga had attended the burial of High Court Advocate Evans Orwenjo in Alego Usonga, Siaya County.

Among the issues raised by Odinga are compensation of victims of this year's and last year’s protests, payment of all hospital medical bills of the victims of police brutality, unconditional release of all protestors in police custody and dropping of all pending charges in court as well as sacking of all police officers involved in brutality.

“Kenya is at a critical juncture we either move forward or perish because we don’t want to perish that is why I proposed that conversation and that is what I proposed that takes cognizance of the demographic profile of our nation and that there are several issues that need to be discussed at that convention,” he said.

According to Odinga, the issues raised by youthful protesters are not new, adding that rampant corruption, unemployment, high cost of living, management of debt and discrimination were the major issues that led to their demonstrations last year.

He gave a nod to the new government formation that has nominated members from the opposition to the cabinet.

“The basis of that kind of elaborate process then we can talk about a gov’t of national unity and we say that if you want to take some of our experts and get into your gov’t we release them to join your gov’t and work according to the ethics of our party ODM and Azimio,” said Odinga.

The Azimio chief who is also eyeing the African Union Commission Chairmanship called for a closer look at the Constitution and if need be, change, to allow a progressive nation.

“Kenyans met at the Bomas of Kenya and deliberated for a very long time and came up with a very progressive constitution. That constitution was bastardized to a certain extent during the so-called Naivasha process we must go back to the Bomas draft constitution put it back on the table and see how what needs to be cleaned up so that we can have a progressive constitution,” he added.

The president has nominated ODM's two deputy party leaders, the party's chairman and National Assembly Minority Leader to his cabinet. They now await vetting by Parliament.

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