Nairobi — The Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Alliance opposition coalition is gearing up for the new year with a strong focus on addressing what they perceive as shortcomings of the Kenya Kwanza government over the past year.

In a statement released on the eve of the New Year 2024 by the opposition, they emphasized their concerns about the state of the soaring cost of living and the education sector, asserting that the government has mishandled it.

"In this New Year, we shall organize to liberate ourselves from oppression and exploitation. We shall exercise our sovereign power of the people to stop death and suffering of the people and restore our dignity and well-being. We shall work with all people of goodwill to restore hope and faith in our nation," said Azimio in the statement, adding, "The Finance Act must be repealed. If they don't we will go back to demonstrating."

They pointed out that Kenya's education system is currently facing significant challenges, largely due to the government's failure to allocate funds for free and compulsory basic education, resulting in outstanding bills for many schools.

Azimio la Umoja has now mobilized its MPs to advocate for change and is also planning to take legal action to compel the Ministry of Education to release full funding to primary and secondary schools, ensuring a smoother start to the academic year.

The opposition coalition is also pushing for the absorption of junior secondary school teachers into the government's payroll.

Beyond educational issues, Azimio la Umoja accuses the government of being indifferent to the hardships faced by Kenyan citizens and businesses. In 2024, they intend to launch an anti-tax campaign aimed at pursuing budget cuts to reduce the tax burden on Kenyans, challenging the taxation measures outlined in the Finance Act of 2023.

"In this New Year, we shall organize to liberate ourselves from oppression and exploitation. We shall exercise our sovereign power of the people to stop death and suffering of the people and restore our dignity and well-being. We shall work with all people of goodwill to restore hope and faith in our nation," Azimio la Umoja stated in their announcement.

Azimio's leader, Raila Odinga, expressed concerns about continuous tax increases, emphasizing the need to repeal the Finance Act. He warned that if necessary actions are not taken, demonstrations may resume.

Azimio la Umoja is determined to combat what they perceive as the normalization of corruption under the Kenya Kwanza government. They criticize the government for discontinuing corruption cases involving key figures within its ranks.