Time is running out for coalition talks between the ruling party UDA and its broad-based government partner ODM ahead of next year's polls battle against the Kalonzo Musyoka-led opposition, Rarieda MP Otiende Amollo has warned.
He wants President William Ruto and ODM leader Oburu Oginga to move with speed and constitute a formal negotiation team to steer the deliberations that will see the two sides cobble together an election machinery for the race.
The ODM national vice-chairman and senior counsel said the delay in setting up a structured negotiation framework could derail any prospects of a joint political front ahead of the next general election.
The legislator argued that by now, a clear team mandated to handle talks should already be in place, noting that the ODM constitution provides strict timelines on coalition-building processes.
“The condition under Article 87 is that the agreement must be endorsed six months before the general election,” Amollo told the Star in an exclusive interview.
According to the ODM constitution, the National Executive Committee (NEC) shall appoint a Coalition Committee as a standing committee of the party, consisting of at least five but not more than nine members, provided that not more than two-thirds of the members shall be of the same gender.
“The Coalition Committee shall develop a strategy in preparation for a possible coalition arrangement to be approved by the National Executive Committee at least six months before the next election. The strategy may be reviewed at any time on the advice of the National Executive Committee,” the ODM constitution states under Article 87(3).
With about 16 months remaining until the polls, the MP cautioned that only about 10 months are realistically available for negotiations once internal processes and timelines are factored in.
Amollo emphasised that beyond reaching a deal, parties must also allow adequate time to popularise their candidate and agenda among voters, which he estimates takes at least one year.
“Time is of the essence. As we are speaking now, we are barely 16 months to the next general election. Given the provision of Article 87 of our constitution, it means we only have one year to start campaigning one year before elections. We are only saying we have six months,” he said.
He warned that such a window may not be sufficient to finalise talks and mount an effective nationwide campaign for a joint candidate, should an agreement be reached.
“My understanding is that the technical team, by now, would have laid down the basic ground for the appointment of the negotiating committee,” the Rarieda MP told the Star in an interview.
“The President and Oburu should now each agree on the composition of the negotiating team, both the number and names. Each of the parties should agree on the framework of the negotiations. Each party will have what is called its irreducible minimum; it will have areas where it can compromise, and it is easy either way.”
The Rarieda MP also weighed in on the raging debate on whether there should be zoning for parties, saying nothing is wrong with the idea, but it should be best handled by the negotiating team.
He termed the zoning debate diversionary, urging his Orange party to focus on having the negotiating team in place.
“There is nothing wrong with zoning. In any presidential system where you have a pre-election coalition arrangement, zoning is normal where you want to consolidate votes for a common candidate,” he stated.
“What I urge is that we diminish this contestation on zoning or not and focus on the process of settling the negotiating team, their terms of reference, the framework of negotiation, and have them proceed so that if we are able to agree, we move; if not, we move on.”
During the joint Parliamentary Group meeting in March, President William Ruto announced that UDA and ODM will form an eight-member technical team (four from each party) to develop a formal coalition agreement ahead of next year's election.
The ODM Special Delegates Conference held on 27 March also ratified the talks, giving Oburu the authority to proceed with the negotiations with Ruto. Two weeks down the line, there has yet to be any fresh development on the same.
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