Kenya’s opposition declared on Saturday that it had reached an agreement with the government to establish a joint committee aimed at resolving their differences amicably after weeks of protests and political unrest.
In a statement, the opposition expressed their determination to resolve their differences amicably for the betterment of all citizens and to achieve this goal, they reached an agreement with Kenya Kwanza, the ruling party alliance, to create a committee.
Since opposition leader Raila Odinga urged Kenyans to take to the streets in March, his Azimio alliance has staged nine days of sometimes violent protests against the government of President William Ruto.
Odinga, who asserts that last year’s presidential election was “stolen” from him, has attributed the cost-of-living crisis and police brutality to the government.
The unrest in one of East Africa’s most stable democracies has prompted calls for the two sides to engage in negotiations. However, Odinga has refused to participate in talks unless there is a third-party mediator involved.
Azimio stated that through the “facilitation” of former Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo, they have reached an agreement with the government to establish a 10-member committee with equal representation from both sides.
The committee’s purpose will be to engage in discussions and address the current standoff.
No additional details regarding the committee’s timeline or the specific issues it will address were disclosed in the announcement.