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Why Martha Karua’s rejected the bi-partisan talks reports.
The Azimio DP Hon Martha Karua has rejected the bi-partisan talks reports between the Kenya Kwanza and the Azimio team.
In a statement via twitter, Karua noted that the purported agreement that does not immediately impact on cost of living must be rejected in totality.
She described the agreement between the bi-partisan teams as a fraud on the people and must be rejected.
Any purported agreement that does not immediately impact on cost of living , electoral justice and respect for multiparty democracy is a fraud on the people and must be rejected.
She stated on X platform formerly twitter.
Karua’s remarks comes barely a day after the Majority Leader Kimani Ichungwa revealed that the agreement between the bi-partisan teams had been sent to principals.
According to Ichungwa, the Committee was able to build consensus on a majority of issues; however, there is a divergent opinion on a few issues that have been referred to the leadership of the two coalitions for further consideration.
To this end, The National Dialogue Committee had reportedly resolved the following amongst others;
1. LECTORAL JUSTICE AND RELATED MATTERS.
a)Audit of the 2022 Electoral Process: NADCO has recommended the evaluation of the 2022 electoral process.
b) Restructuring and Reconstitution of the IEBC: NADCO has recommended the establishment of an expanded selection panel from the current 7-member to a 9-member selection panel
e)Time for Resolution of Presidential Election Petitions: NADCO recommends the increase of timelines within which the Supreme Court shall hear and determine a petition challenging the validity of a presidential election from 14 to 21 days.
d) Electoral Legal Reforms: NADCO has recommended that legal reforms passed less than 18 months to the general elections become effective in the next electoral cycle.
2. COST OF LIVING.
a) NADCO recommends that all arms of government shall reduce their travel budgets by 50% and that the Salaries and Remuneration Commission review Daily Subsistence Allowances for State and Public Officers with a view to reducing by 30%.
b) NADCO recommends the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum in liaison with the National Treasury to reduce the road maintenance levy and the anti-adulteration levy by Sh 5 and Sh 3 per liter respectively.
c) NADCO recommends that the National Government finalizes the transfer of all
devolved functions and provides for the concomitant resources to the county governments.
d) NADCO recommends that Parliament shall amend the Constitution to provide for the equitable share to the County Governments not to be less than 20% of all revenue collected by the National Government from the current 15%.
However, the committee was unable to reach a consensus on a number of other proposals on the matter of cost of living, including the reduction of VAT on fuel from 16% to 8%, and scrapping of the housing levy, the twin issues in the Finance Act 2023.
- ENTRENCHING OF FUNDS INTO THE CONSTITUTION.
a) NADCO recommends the entrenchment of NG-CDF, the National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF), and the Senate Oversight Fund.
b) NADCO further recommends the Ward Development Fund be established by statute.
- ESTABLISHMENT AND ENTRENCHMENT OF STATE OFFICES.
a) NADCO recommends the establishment of the Office of the Leader of the Official Opposition, who is the leader of the largest party/ coalition of political parties that garnered the second-greatest number of votes in the immediately preceding presidential elections with two deputies.
b) NADCO further recommends the establishment of the Office of Prime Minister to be nominated, and upon approval by the National Assembly, appointed by the President.
- FIDELITY TO THE LAW ON MULTIPARTY DEMOCRACY.
NADCO recommends the establishment of the Independent Political Parties Regulatory
Commission as an independent body that shall be responsible for the registration of political parties and their office holders and the management of political parties funds. A role currently vested in the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties.