Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has stated that Azimio will hold demonstrations for three consecutive days next week, from Monday to Wednesday in Kenya, as the opposition seeks to intensify anti-government protests.
Speaking on Thursday, the senator said the Kenya Kwanza government must listen to Kenyans.
According to Sifuna, the decision was influenced by what he called the failure of President William Ruto’s government to listen to Kenyans.
“Kenya Kwanza cannot order the arrest of Raila Odinga. From next week, we will have three days straight of protests from Monday to Wednesday until President Ruto listens to Kenyans,” Sifuna said.
Demonstrators took to the streets on Wednesday to protest the high cost of living and the Finance Act 2023.
The Kenya Private Sector Alliance (Kepsa) has warned that protests cost Kenya an estimated Sh3 billion per day.
Sifuna, the ODM secretary general, insisted on Thursday that Kenyans were angry because the government had imposed high taxes despite the country’s difficult economic situation.
Rioters disobeyed a police order not to protest and were met with a brutal police force. There were reports of seven deaths and numerous injuries.
Raila Odinga, leader of the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya party, was forced to cancel a planned rally in Kamukunji on Wednesday due to intelligence reports that armed pro-government thugs would shoot at attendees.
Speaking to journalists at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Foundation (JOOF) in Nairobi on Wednesday afternoon, Odinga, who described the day’s nationwide protests as a success despite police brutality, alleged an elaborate plot by Kenya Kwanza to attack innocent Kenyans at the Kamukunji grounds.
“Tuesday night, we received intelligence of a most heinous plan by Kenya Kwanza to ferry armed goons who would attack peaceful attendees of our rally in Kamkunji. These goons had express orders to shoot directly into the crowd while enjoying police protection,” Mr Odinga told reporters.
The opposition leader said the protests were not over until the issues affecting Kenyans were addressed.
Odinga stated that the protests would continue until President Ruto allowed the Finance Act 2023 to be repealed.
“There is no moving on until Ruto comes out and openly repeals the Finance Act, 2023 and issues other measures to lower cost of living,” he said.
For the majority of Wednesday, there were protests taking place in up to 20 counties, with police firing tear gas canisters and setting bonfires lit by protesters.
Seven people lost their lives as a result of daylong clashes between police and protesters across the nation, including four in Mlolongo, two in Kitengela, and one in Emali in Makueni County.
Due to the fear of attack or looting among most business owners, business in Nairobi’s Central Business District was slow.