Uasin Gishu senator Jackson Mandago now wants the ongoing bipartisan talks to feature compensation for lives lost and property distracted during the protest.
Mandago, who is at the center of the Finland scholarship saga proposed that political parties whose leaders took part in the protests be compelled to raise funds for the program.
The anti-government protests were organized by ODM party leader Raila Odinga and Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka.
“I propose that the funds to compensate should be sourced from political parties that were involved in the mass protests,” Mandago stated.
Opposition leader Raila Odinga organized 10 days of demonstrations since March 2023, most blighted by violent confrontations with the police to demand an audit of last year’s election that brought President William Ruto to power.
At least 20 people have died in the clashes, according to official figures, although rights campaigners put the toll much higher.
The unrest in one of East Africa’s most stable democracies provoked alarm at home and abroad and spurred calls for mediation to end the standoff.
As such, the former Prime Minister suspended the demonstrations to allow dialogue between President William Ruto’s side and the opposition.
Each side has five members with the opposition wing being led by Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka while the government side if being led by Majority Leader in the National Assembly Kimani Ichungwa.
However, a section of the political leaders in the country were not happy about the dialogue, which is being spearheaded by representatives from the ruling coalition and the opposition parties, respectively.
For instance, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua sensationally claimed that the Bomas talks were wasting time since the President had already inked a deal with the opposition.
