William Ruto Picks Kimani Ichung'wah To Lead Kenya Kwanza Team In Talks With Azimio: "No Nusu Mkate"

• Kenya Kwanza Alliance insisted that they will only discuss five issues with the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition Party
• President William Ruto unveiled five members, among them Kimani Ichung'wah, Aaron Cheruiyot, and Hassan Omar
• The government side ruled out discussing issues to do with power-sharing with the opposition coalition

Nairobi - Kenya Kwanza Alliance, led by President William Ruto, has unveiled its five-member team for the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition Party talks.

On Wednesday, August 2, Ruto appointed National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung'wah as the team leader.

Ruto lists 5 issues to discuss with Azimio

The Kenya Kwanza Alliance team will also comprise Senate Majority Leader Aaron Cheruiyot and Governor Cecily Mbarire.

Others are East African Legislative Assembly Member (EALA) Hassan Omar and Bungoma woman representative Catherine Wambilianga.

In the statement, the government side insisted that there would be no discussion on a handshake with the Opposition coalition.

"As agreed, there shall be no discussion of whatever nature on matters handshake or nusu mkate," reads the statement.

The Kenya Kwanza reiterated that their team would only engage the Azimio counterparts on five issues.

Ruto's team was instructed only to discuss the reconstitution of IEBC, implementation of two-thirds gender rule, entrenchment of constituency development fund, establishment and entrenchment of the Office of the Leader of the Opposition and embedment of the Office of the Prime Cabinet Secretary.

Robert Alai reveals Azimio's key issues

Meanwhile, Kileleshwa MCA Robert Alai disclosed that Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition rode on the cost of living to win people into their side.

Alai explained that their main issue as the opposition was the constitution of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission.

"In maandamano, our main issue was IEBC. Political policy is about culture power then why are we focusing on the cost of living? Kenyans have developed a mentality that whatever route you have used does not matter as long as you are in power," Alai explained.

Speaking to the TV47, the outspoken leader said that because it was difficult to sell, they had to stir people's emotions and bring in the cost-of-living issue.

"So IEBC might not have been very good to sell, we had to bundle it up with the cost of living, but I believe the cost of living should be a civil society issue. It should not be a political issue," he disclosed.