NAIROBI, Oct. 16 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's employers lobby on Monday called for dialogue to end the current political impasse ahead of the presidential polls slated for Oct. 26.
Mark Obuya, National President of the Federation of Kenya Employers (FKF), told journalists in Nairobi that the impasse between the two main political parties has split the country right down the middle.
"We believe that the presidential contestants have a personal responsibility to ensure that Kenya survives the elections. We appeal for meaningful dialogue between the presidential so that they can agree on the issues that need to be addressed for the country to come out of the current political quagmire," Obuya said.
The poll standoff between the ruling coalition led by President Uhuru Kenyatta and the Opposition coalition, the National Super Alliance (NASA) occurred after its leader Raila Odinga withdrew from the repeat polls last week accusing the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission for failing to implement reforms requested by them.
Obuya said that there is no challenge too big to overcome if contesting parties respectively engage each other in open dialogue.
"History has shown that those who take a hardline and extremist positions in any contest or dispute often live to regret it," he added.
FKF said that it is highly regrettable that the political crisis has occurred at a time when the country's economic outlook was its best.
"The once robust economy is now sluggish. The Gross Domestic Product growth projection has now been downgraded to five percent and is bound to keep sliding down given the protracted electioneering we continue to face," Obuya said.
"We simply cannot continue on this path as we risk turning the country into a failed state. No one wins in this scenario," said the employers lobby.
He observed that many Kenyans are anxious and concerned about the political crisis the country is in as well as the impact it is having on their lives.
"We believe that together we can find a solution to the election impasse, carry out peaceful credible elections and move on with nation building," the president said.
