The Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya Coalition will today, Wednesday continue its nationwide anti-government demonstrations and signature-gathering campaign.
President Ruto, however, vowed to keep the nation peaceful and orderly and issued a warning that he would not put up with the anarchy being spread by the opposition. The President stated that he would not allow another Kenyan to be killed in the wave of violence that has frequently accompanied protests, with six people reportedly killed in last Friday’s Saba Saba protests.
“No child is born to throw stones and attend demonstrations every day. On Wednesday, we will have peace, They had their protests on Friday, and six people died. Please, this will stop,” the President said.
Ruto pleaded with the opposition to give him time to carry out his development agenda, which will help millions of Kenyans, rather than using the youth to incite violence.
“Give Kenya’s youth and people a break. We have plans, and we will carry them out. You will fail as you always do because I am aware of you and your plans, he continued.
President Ruto claimed that his government had invested in the agriculture sector and that food prices would eventually decline in light of the fact that many Kenyans were unable to feed themselves as a result of the rapidly rising costs of basic goods, particularly food.
He also admonished the opposition to refrain from using the price of food as a political talking point and to keep their “petty politics away from real issues.”
“It is not right for a few people to think that they can disorganise the country, sabotage Kenya, and create mayhem and chaos. That is not politics; that is anarchy, and it will not happen. If they want to go to court, let them. But destroying people’s property, killing people, that is a no-go zone,” he said.
Finance Act 2023
The Commander-in-Chief requested that the Judiciary lift the freeze on the Finance Act, 2023, which has been put on hold by the courts pending a hearing and decision by a three-judge bench that will be assembled by the Chief Justice. This will enable the government to collect taxes.
“I am asking the courts to let the Finance Act stand. We want to move on with development. Mama Mbogas are selling their wares in the open without dignity, and we want them to do business in a dignified manner,” the President said while handing over some 2,100 title deeds to shareholders of Embakasi Ranching Company in Ruai, Nairobi, where he promised to fast-track the processing of title deeds for another batch of 6,000 landowners in two months’ time.
But even as the President talked tough, Mr. Odinga on Tuesday led other Azimio bigwigs in the launch of a digital signature collection platform to complement the ongoing manual process, announcing that at least 1.2 million Kenyans had appended their signatures by July 11, 2023, in the programme dubbed the Tumechoka (we are tired) Citizens’ Initiative.
“We have started this process of collecting signatures to reclaim the powers we have delegated to our leaders. The exercise, which is ongoing, is to express the people’s displeasure with Ruto and the series of punitive, unfair, and unjust taxes he has decided to impose on the people without their consent,” Mr. Odinga said.
He said the exercise was part of the opposition’s campaign of resistance, civil disobedience, and civic action to force President Ruto and his regime to respect and listen to the people.
The opposition leader explained that the Finance Act, 2023, has clearly exposed the fact that some leaders have decided to take instructions from the Executive, and the Executive has decided to pursue its own wishes regardless of what the people feel or say.
“Both the Legislature and the Executive have ganged up against the people, and the people have been left to fend for themselves. In return, the people have rightly decided to gang up against the Executive and the Legislature. The people decided to invoke Article 1 of the Constitution,” he said.
Odinga emphasised that despite repeated requests from Kenyans for the regime to take action to lessen their burdens, the process they were involved in was about the deliberate policy decisions of the Kenya Kwanza regime to make life intolerable for the vast majority of Kenyans.
“The digital platform we unveil today (yesterday) complements all other efforts and platforms, including civil disobedience, tax boycott, and defiance, which are meant to compel the regime to repeal the Finance Act and take deliberate steps to reduce the cost of living.
“These actions are also meant to force the regime to address all the weighty issues we have been pushing for, including a non-partisan reconstitution of the IEBC, an audit of the 2022 elections, and an end to the invasion and compromise of parties and MPs,” Mr. Odinga stated.
Along with other prominent members of the coalition, including Opiyo Wandayi, Kalonzo Musyoka, Wycliffe Oparanya, Eugene Wamalwa, Mwangi Wa Iria, and Jeremiah Kioni, Mr. Odinga criticised the government for questioning the legitimacy of the procedure.
“We are aware that Kenya Kwanza has questioned where we are taking the signatures and the legality of the exercise. We don’t expect them to understand. They don’t understand the power of the people right now, but in time they will,” he said.
He announced that they will converge again today at the historic Kamukunji grounds, where they will begin their anti-government demonstrations as similar events take place simultaneously across the country.
“As the people demonstrated last week, Kamukunji will be anywhere and everywhere in the country where Kenyans gather in the name of justice and prosperity.”
He accused the government of using live bullets against peaceful protesters last week.
Odinga said if Kenya Kwanza refused to include all parties in the reconstitution of the IEBC, “we will set up our own IEBC”.
Musyoka stressed the need for unity. “We must unite and be one people irrespective of our political affiliations because every Kenyan is hurting. Even our police are hurting and they must stop using force against innocent protesters and join us in the peaceful march,” said Mr Musyoka.
Even as Azimio begins the protests, Kenyans have been advised to be extra cautious today as security agencies brace for two other nationwide protests.
The protests, which are feared to cause major disruptions in the transport sector, include those by public service vehicles, the taxi association, and bodabodas.
The taxi association will take to the streets to protest against rising fuel prices and unfair wage rates by digital transport companies.
The 21-day strike notice issued by the matatu sector will also expire today (July 12, 2023), culminating in demonstrations by PSV drivers, long-distance drivers, and bodaboda riders. The protest is aimed at getting the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) to suspend the mandatory retesting of drivers.
The Transportation Ministry halted the retesting of drivers on Tuesday, July 11, 2023 in the evening.
The mandatory retest, according to the NTSA, targeted public transportation and commercial vehicles. It is a requirement for renewing driving licences and has the goal of lowering traffic fatalities and accidents.
Operators who believe they are already burdened by low salaries have contested the requirement that drivers pay a Sh1,050 retest fee.
