Representatives of the Kenyan government and the opposition held preliminary discussions on Wednesday to forge a way forward for talks on the long-running stand-off that has sparked protests in recent months, media reported.
Technical teams have been formed to clarify the agenda for the negotiation, with talks formally due to start on August 14, according to the media.
The priority topic in the negotiations for the opposition is the increased cost of living. However, the government insists that it is already working on inflation control and the reduction of the cost of basic goods.
Among other issues, Odinga's party has called for an audit of last year's elections, a bi-partisan reconstitution of the electoral body, respect for political parties and inclusion of the opposition in national issues, the media said. In particular, the opposition wants the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission to preserve the election servers in order to facilitate inspection.
Kalonzo Musyoka, the leader of the opposition delegation, noted that the party would not seek a power-sharing deal.
Kimani Ichungw'ah, the deputy of the National Assembly heading the government's delegation, expressed the readiness of the delegation to cooperate and resolve the issues raised by the opposition.
The latest protests ignited by the opposition took place on July 7 and are called the "Saba Saba" (Seven Seven) demonstrations. They followed the acceptance of the Finance Bill in June, which aimed to increase taxes. At least 10 people have reportedly been killed.
In response, Ruto slammed Odinga, noting that the demonstrations are damaging to the economy, which the president's administration claims to be making a concerted effort to swing back.
Since March, Kenya has suffered from anti-government rallies, which at times took a violent turn, over the cost-of-living crisis and last year's alleged election rigging.
The Kenyan president, for his part, condemned the opposition protests, which turned into riots and caused damage, forcing the closure of several businesses.
On Sunday, Ruto ruled out the possibility of a power-sharing deal with his main political rival Odinga and also warned against any attempt to incite violence and disrupt peace in the country.