Kenyan opposition leader Raila Odinga on Tuesday demanded that parties outside parliament should also be involved in talks on electoral reform and the high cost of living, reported Reuters.
The demand does not go well with President William Ruto’s plan for negotiations to be held only within parliament.
Odinga has threatened to go for fresh protests if the opposition’s demands are not seriously considered by the government. On Sunday, he agreed to cease the protests and engage in talks following the president’s request.
Thousands of opposition supporters have been demonstrating twice a week against the growing cost of living, and questioning last year’s election results. All the last three anti-government protests were marred by violence and a fourth, which was scheduled for Monday, was canceled.
Foreign observers and organizations welcomed President Ruto’s proposal for negotiation talks to prevent further disruption in Kenya.
The Kenyan opposition leader said he wants to engage in talks similar to those that led to an end to the post-election violence in 2008 and the formation of a national unity government.
He said to end the chaos; the opposition coalition proposes a team drawn from its ranks both in Parliament and outside.
Previously, President Ruto had asked senior lawmakers to prioritize the opposition’s demands but later he reiterated his position for the talks to be held within parliament that too in a bipartisan manner.
He also appealed to Mr. Odinga to respect the constitution and the Supreme Court’s order that validated his election victory last year. The opposition leader disputed the election results, but the country’s Supreme Court upheld it.
In response, Odinga warned that protests could resume if no progress is made toward the opposition’s demands, which also include a reassessment of last year’s election results.
“We shall go back to the people at the earliest sign of lack of seriousness by the other side,” the Kenyan opposition leader said.
