Deal to 'resolve differences amicably' reached: Kenya opposition
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Kenya's opposition statement comes after weeks of demonstrations and political instability.
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Opposition supporters during protests in Nairobi, on July 12, 2023 (AFP)
Following weeks of demonstrations and political instability, Kenya's opposition declared on Saturday that it has reached an understanding with the government to establish a joint committee "to resolve our differences amicably."
"Determined to resolve our differences amicably for the benefit of all our people, we have therefore agreed with Kenya Kwanza to establish a committee," the opposition statement said while referring to the ruling party alliance.
Since opposition leader Raila Odinga urged Kenyans to protest in the streets in March, his Azimio alliance has organized nine days of occasionally violent demonstrations against President William Ruto's administration.
After at least 20 people died in the protests, Odinga, who claims that the presidential election last year was "stolen" from him, has accused the government of being in charge of a cost-of-living problem and using excessive force against the public.
Read: Defeated Odinga calls Kenya presidential election results a ‘travesty'
Calls for negotiations between the two sides have been sparked by the upheaval in one of East Africa's most stable democracies, although Odinga had previously ruled out negotiations without a third-party mediator.
Azimio said that with the "facilitation" of former Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo, they had reached an agreement with the government to form a committee of 10 people, with equal representation, to discuss the issue.
There was no other information given regarding the committee's schedule or the topics it will cover.
Last August, Odinga rejected the results of the presidential election, which announced Ruto's victory, describing the electoral process then as "a travesty and a blatant disregard of the constitution of Kenya" and accusing his rival of "stealing" the elections from him. The opposition leader also dubbed Ruto's government as "illegitimate".
