Azimio Top Brass Meet US, Canada Diplomats at the Home of Kalonzo

On Friday, the top members of the Azimio la Umoja coalition held a meeting with foreign envoys as anti-government protests continued for a third day. 

While opposition supporters took to the streets, Azimio's top brass met with special envoys from the US, the United Nations, and Denmark at Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka’s home in Karen. The details of the meeting remain unclear, but sources say it aimed to persuade Azimio leadership to scale down protests and resume bipartisan talks with Kenya Kwanza. 

Kalonzo appears to be acting as a mediator. Two vehicles with US diplomatic plates and another with a UN flag left Kalonzo’s home during the media stakeout. National Assembly Minority Leader Opiyo Wandayi and Jubilee Secretary General Jeremiah Kioni later emerged to update the media after private security failed to make them leave.

Earlier, there were claims that Azimio leader Raila Odinga was part of the secret meetings with foreign envoys aimed at ending the ongoing anti-government protests but Raila has denied the claims. Wandayi claimed they had visited Kalonzo's because he was on a 'house arrest by the State' but a spot check found no evidence of police barring entry. However, Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka (SKM) command centre’s communications director Paloma Gatabaki shared a video claiming police had blocked him from leaving his home. Azimio is expected to provide a plan for their protest in the next 48 to 72 hours. 

“The information we have been given by Kalonzo is that his freedom of movement has been curtailed and we hope that whoever is responsible will cease the same and allow him to enjoy his freedoms. He has been under house arrest since Tuesday. We have engaged with him informally as a way of reviewing the action underway across the country and we are pleased that the defiance has been successful,” said Wandayi.