Protests will begin at 6am, defiant Raila tells Ruto
Azimio la Umoja One Kenya leader Raila Odinga. PHOTO | COURTESY
What you need to know:
- Speaking in Nairobi on Labour Day, Mr Odinga told President William Ruto and the general public that the protests would be peaceful and that no property would be destroyed
Azimio la Umoja One Kenya leader Raila Odinga has indicated that Tuesday's protests will begin at 6am, even as police outlawed the demonstrations citing possible violence. He also outlined a programme that will begin at Nairobi's Central Park and head into the city centre.
Speaking in Nairobi on Labour Day, Mr Odinga told President William Ruto and the general public that the protests would be peaceful and that no property would be destroyed.
"Our demonstrators have been informed that tomorrow's protests will be peaceful. No one will carry any weapons," he said.
Mr Odinga said they will present petitions at IEBC offices, the National Treasury and the Office of the President in the Nairobi CBD.
But in a media briefing the day before, senior police officers from Nairobi led by Adamson Bungei said the demonstrations have been banned because past ones, even though they were labelled peaceful, were marred by violence, looting and death.
“Previous demonstrations in the month of March 2023 conducted by the Azimio team were marred by violence as the demonstrators were armed with machetes, who attacked innocent members of the public who were going about their business, resulting in the destruction of property, attacks on members of the general public who were not demonstrating, stealing, looting and death of several Kenyans,” Mr Bungei said.
In his Labour Day speech today, President Ruto had also reiterated that the protests were illegal.
But Mr Odinga, while justifying tomorrow's protests, said the President had failed to announce minimum wage increments for workers.
"This shows a lack of concern and seriousness on the part of the government," he charged.
The Azimio leader also spoke on the recent Shakahola deaths, saying the government owes Kenyans an explanation for what happened. He criticised the move to form a judicial commission of enquiry to probe the mass deaths, saying President Ruto does not have powers to set up one.
"Such powers went with the 2010 Constitution. Only the Judicial Service Commission and Parliament, through a select committee, can do so," he said.
