KEPSA tells Cord to drop Madaraka Day rally, calls for dialogue

Business leaders across the country on Monday called on the Opposition and the government to hold a single national Madaraka Day fete and seek to calm rising political tension in the country.

But Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (Cord) leaders say there are a "set of conditions" the government must fulfill first before they can discuss whether to call off the rally.

Speaking during a joint media address after a meeting with Cord leaders in Nairobi, Kenya Private Sector Alliance (Kepsa) officials said having a joint function would demonstrate commitment to non-violent solutions.

"We have made a special request to the Opposition and to the government on the other side that Madaraka Day celebrations be held together," Kepsa's Polycarp Igathe said.

“It is a day we want to see Kenya together. We would like to see the two leaders of our political economy; that is the President of Kenya who leads the government of the day and that is Jubilee. We want to see also the Opposition leader, the Right Honourable (former) Prime Minister together on a national day celebrating," he added.

“We will also have initial talks which we will preside over as the private sector to try and get that hygiene back in the national discourse,” he said.

The alliance, mainly composed of private investors, met Cord leaders Raila Odinga (ODM), Moses Wetang’ula (Ford-Kenya), James Orengo (Siaya senator) and Eseli Simiyu (MP, Tongaren) in a bid to talk them out of a planned Madaraka Day rally on Wednesday at Uhuru Park.

In response, Mr Odinga said the planned rally was not a parallel national celebration but a meeting to "reflect on many injustices in this country and trace our roots."

He insisted Cord leaders have no problem attending Madaraka Day celebrations but can only do so under certain conditions.

Senator Wetang’ula (Bungoma) said that while the Opposition is willing to discuss the offer, it will only do so if the government is also willing.

Last week, Cord suspended its weekly demonstrations aimed at pushing out IEBC officials.

But on Monday, they argued the government had not made an offer to talk.

Kepsa, whose members have argued those demonstrations cost businesses Sh78 million a day, has offered to mediate the dispute.

Religious leaders last week offered to mediate too.