By Joshua Illya
Kenyan National Assembly has given the green light to a proposal for the creation of a national dialogue committee, aimed at facilitating discussions between the Azimio La Umoja Coalition and their counterparts in the Kenya Kwanza Alliance.
The approval of this motion empowers the Committee led by Kalonzo Musyoka and Kimani Ichung’wah to propose constitutional and legal reforms following productive dialogues and consensus-building.
Ichung’wah, who presented the motion, expressed optimism about resolving differences between the opposing coalitions on the topics to be addressed.
The Kenya Kwanza Alliance had initially objected to the inclusion of the cost of living as an agenda item, asserting that it falls under the government’s responsibility to shield citizens from economic strain.
“We have five agenda items we’ve outlined, and Azimio has introduced five of their own. Now is the time to lend an ear to each other,” he remarked.
“We ought to heed our colleagues’ perspectives on the cost of living, even though we maintain that it’s the government’s duty to devise policies that alleviate these expenses,” Ichung’wah conveyed.
The National Dialogue Committee is required to furnish a report to the leadership of both Kenya Kwanza and Azimio Coalitions within sixty days. Subsequently, the report will be presented to Parliament.
The committee will be supported by Technical Teams from both coalitions and aided by Communication Secretaries designated by the Leader of the Majority and Leader of the Minority.
The Kalonzo – Ichung’wah Committee has the liberty to invite and interact with stakeholders, gather public input, and collaborate with experts, professionals, and other relevant resources as needed.