The National Dialogue Committee (NDC) on Thursday, September 21, converged at the Bomas of Kenya to address the lingering effects of the 2022 post-election crisis.
The meeting was considering recommendations from their technical team on whether they could agree on proposed interim measures to be implemented while the talks were ongoing.
The NDC’s near-two-hour meeting chaired by National Assembly Majority leader Kimani Ichungwa and Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka however, turned chaotic.
This was after Jubilee Secretary General Jeremiah Kioni and EALA MP Hassan Omar almost exchanged blows prompting the former Ndaragwa MP to storm out of the meeting.
Local media outlets reported that trouble began after the former Mombasa Senator castigated Jubilee SG for claiming the ongoing bipartisan talks were designed to fail.
The heated exchange between the duo lasted for several minutes before Kalonzo and Ichung’wah stepped in and restored calm.
Speaking in an interview on Friday, September 22, Kioni noted that he was rebuked by the government-allied legislator for his unwavering stance that the primary focus of the talks should be centered on alleviating the high cost of living for Kenyans.
“The cost of kerosene has gone up by Ksh.33. We were supposed to lower the cost of living in Kenya; how is it that we are talking of borrowing Ksh.890 billion between April and June and the high levels of taxation?”
“We have not resolved the issue of the Finance Bill; I said that I wouldn’t want to sit in a situation where I feel like we are conning Kenyans. There are those who thought that shouldn’t have been said but I am still saying it. What took us to Bomas and why people were killed was the cost of living. That’s why people were demonstrating,” Kioni said on Spice FM.
