The seven member team fronted by Azimio to negotiate with President William Ruto’s team should have included youths, Embakasi East MP Babu Owino has said.
“A team has been set up to Represent Azimio in the Bipartisan talks. I wish them well. However, it would have been more efficient if a youth was part of the team because it’s the youth who are killed, maimed and still at the forefront in the struggle,” Owino tweeted.
Azimio will be represented by Senate Minority Whip Ledama Olekina, ODM secretary general Edwin Sifuna and Senate deputy minority leader Enoch Wambua.
Others in the team are MPs Otiende Amollo (Rarieda), David PKosing (Pokot South), Millie Odhiambo (Suba North) and Amina Mnyanzi (Malindi).
The team was picked during an extraordinary Azimio la Umoja parliamentary group meeting in Stoni Athi, Machakos county.
Analysis: In the name of Youths
It is evident from Owino’s tweet that he was deeply disappointed by his missing out in the negotiating committee despite his loyalty to Raila Odinga. He may pretend to wish well those who made it to the list, but one cannot help but see a man whose ego has been rendered a huge blow by having his name miss in the list.
The MP’s playing of the youth card perhaps in the hopes that this could somehow help reverse his fortunes, is just but a hypocritical tactic for a man who is accused of shooting and maiming a youthful DJ.
There is no struggle, as he purports, going on by the youths of this country, but a power struggle among the political elites as they line and position their stomachs for the next big loot.
If at all there is any struggle that the youths are truly engaged in, it is their desire to put a meal on their table, if not working to better their lives.
Owino should, therefore, excuse us his ‘youth defender’ pretence because we know he can equally maim and kill them at any given moment and available opportunity. If he indeed wants to be in the negotiating committee, he surely must be a bit more ingenious and innovative if he is to convince anyone that his ‘youth talk’ bears any substance to be acted upon.
