Nairobi — Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Leader Raila Odinga suspended countrywide demonstrations set for Monday.
This is after he accepted President William Ruto's proposal for bi-partisan parliamentary process on the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) commissioners' recruitment.
“We acknowledge Mr Ruto’s olive branch for a dialogue on key issues raised by Azimio La Umoja. To us, this is a positive development. I believe that Kenya is today facing its worst crisis in decades out of which we could recover or go the way of other failed states,” said Odinga.
He however put a rider that should the talks fail with his opponent in the 2022 general election fail then they will be forced to call for demonstrations.
“Should there be no meaningful engagement, or response from the Hon Ruto our counter offer, we resolve to resume our demonstrations after a week,” Odinga stated.
Even as he called for the speedy initiation with President Ruto, he emphasized that the rights to assemble, demonstrate, petition, and speak are ironclad as provided for in our constitution.
This comes in wake of Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki termed the protests illegal insisting that the government will not allow them with or without notice.
“What we would like is that human rights organizations should come out and condemn the violent acts that have been committed by the state during the protests,” said Odinga.
Odinga said the excessive use of force by police officers who in most cases fired live bullets on unarmed Kenyans was unwarranted.
“Police officers are meant to keep law and order. But if you find a situation where officers are using live bullets on unarmed civilians, it’s basically a reckless police force which wants to end the life they are supposed to protect,” he noted.
The Azimio la Umoja Coalition Leader maintained that the anti-government protests have never condoned violence and destruction of people’s property.
He averred that those opposed to the demonstrations have painted the demonstrations as an avenue for chaos and robbery.
President William Ruto urged his political rival on Sunday to call off protests against his government as the opposition vowed to take demonstrators to the street for another day.
Three people have died since anti-government protests erupted on March 20 and businesses have been looted, property vandalized, and journalists attacked in unrest that has alarmed Kenya’s neighbours and allies.
Opposition leader Raila Odinga has called for protests every Monday and Thursday, accusing Ruto of stealing last year’s election and of failing to control the surging cost of living.
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On the eve of a fourth day of protests — dubbed “Mega Monday” by the opposition — Ruto called for calm and urged Odinga to cancel his planned action.
“I urge my brother Raila Odinga, and the opposition, to call off the demonstrations, and to give this bipartisan approach a chance for us to take the country forward,” Ruto said in a nationwide address from State House.
“Meanwhile, I call on all Kenyans to remain peaceful and law-abiding and I assure them that the Government of Kenya will continue with its sacred duty of protecting their lives and their property, including their businesses.”
