Today, the Bipartisan Talks Committee engaged in discussions with National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula, with the aim of securing financial support to fulfill their mission. This meeting, which lasted approximately one hour, saw the attendance of various prominent figures, including Majority Leader Kimani Ichungwa, Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, Minority Leader Opiyo Wandayi, and EALA MP Hassan Omar.
Kalonzo arrived at the parliament buildings around 11:30 am, exchanging greetings with some parliamentarians before proceeding directly to the Speaker’s office.
Sources reveal that the bipartisan committee has been grappling with a lack of funding, which has hampered their ability to carry out their designated responsibilities, causing delays in their operations.
Despite both houses of parliament passing a motion to formalize the bipartisan committee in legislation, the parliamentary commission did not allocate any funds to support the committee’s mission.
According to insiders, the committee aimed to persuade the Speaker to allocate a budget for their activities, although the exact cost to Kenyan taxpayers remains unknown.
The technical committee had scheduled meetings for today (Wednesday) and Friday to review 142 memoranda, followed by a session of the bipartisan talks committee on Monday to discuss the agreed-upon agenda.
This meeting with the Speaker comes amid mounting allegations that one faction of the coalition is obstructing the talks. Azimio One Kenya Coalition party leader Raila Odinga is expected to make a significant announcement regarding the way forward.
The talks team initially intended to complete their mission within 60 days, but two weeks have passed with limited progress.