KNCSC roots for extra-parliamentary process to resolve political impasse

Kisumu, Monday, May 15, 2023  

KNA by Mistika Stella

The Kenya National Civil Society Centre (KNCSC) has called for extra-parliamentary talks to resolve the impasse between Azimio La Umoja One Kenya coalition and Kenya Kwanza administration.

KNCSC Executive Director Suba Churchill said the bipartisan approach rooted for by the ruling Kenya Kwanza administration was too fragile and could therefore not provide a solution to the electoral and governance reforms being tabled.

The bipartisan talks, he added, have collapsed more than once due to divergence of opinion and procedural standpoints making the entire process unstable and insecure.

 “It is only through an extra-parliamentary approach that Kenyans will be able to secure the process and any gains made through the bipartisan talks as initiated by the two coalitions,” he said.

The ruling coalition, he added, insists on the bipartisan process so as to use state machinery to ensure the process and substance of the talks remain under their control.

In a statement to the media, Suba said the substance of the electoral and governance issues being tabled had far-reaching constitutional reform including a possibility of a referendum, calling for the formation of a joint parliamentary committee to lay the foundation of an extra-parliamentary process.

The committee, he said, must develop a widely accepted agreement by a broad range of political and non-state actors to have a say on all the constitutional and legal issues being advanced.

This, he added, was critical in order to come up with a roadmap, timeframe and budget for the upcoming reforms.

Suba added that the committee has to put in place mechanisms and safeguards that will secure and guarantee an enabling environment for the talks to take place.

The committee, he said, must put in place mechanisms for proper public participation for Kenyans to engage and participate in the discourse.

This, he said, was the only way to ensure a robust and deliberate framework for ordinary citizens, minority groups and the marginalised participation in the proposed reforms.

“KNCSC is persuaded that through these critical steps Kenyans will be able to temper the political interests that seem to be shaping the bipartisan talks at the moment,” he said.

Courtesy; K.N.A