Raila meets US Senator Chris Coons ahead of Kenya Kwanza-Amizio talks

Raila confirmed the meeting on Twitter, which comes ahead of talks between the government and the opposition aimed at putting an end to weeks of protests and mayhem.

Sources say the highlight of the talks was the ongoing dialogue between Kenya Kwanza and Azimio. 

The opposition leader kept him up to date on issues brought before the committee, such as lowering the high cost of living, auditing the 2022 election results, reconstituting the IEBC, interfering with political party affairs, and outstanding constitutional issues such as boundary delimination.

Odinga is also said to have taken issue with incidents of police brutality witnessed during opposition-sanctioned mass protests, where deaths and injuries from police were reported.  

The opposition has already written to the ICC over the matter.

It is unclear when Senator Coons, a known close ally of President Joe Biden, will meet President William Ruto, as some of the president's handlers reached out to by Citizen TV remained unresponsive.

This comes as the Kenya Kwanza and Azimio teams to the dialogue resume talks at the Bomas of Kenya on Monday at 11 a.m.

Prior to the 10-member team meeting, the technical committee appointed by both groups will hold a preliminary meeting to lay the groundwork for the talks.

According to sources, Azimio intended to invite members of the diplomatic corps and religious leaders to the talks, but Kenya Kwanza requested that their inclusion be postponed until teething problems are resolved.

The dialogue team has yet to establish timelines for the talks and which agenda will be prioritised, with both sides stating that political goodwill will be critical in dealing with the issues at hand.

Jubilee Party Secretary-General Jeremiah Kioni, Adams Oloo, Zein Abubakar, and Lynn Ngugi are on the Azimio Technical Committee, while Kenya Kwanza has enlisted Lawyer Muthomi Thiankolu, Linda Musumba, Nick Biketi, and Duncan Ojwang.

Even as Kenyans await the outcome of the talks, government officials led by Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and Interior Cabinet Secretary Prof. Kithure Kindiki, who spoke separately, remained adamant that no power-sharing agreement will be reached.

In August last year, ahead of the elections, Senator Chris Coons visited the country, calling for a peaceful process. 

He returned in March, at the height of the anti-government protests, and met with political leaders; his current visit raises many questions about whether he is here to broker a truce or to initiate a power-sharing agreement.