ODM party leader Raila Odinga has renewed calls for the compensation of victims affected by political protests dating back to 2023.
Speaking during a consultative meeting with ODM leaders in Mombasa on Sunday, March 2, Raila insisted that individuals who sustained injuries during the Azimio protests of 2023 should be compensated.
Similarly, Raila also extended his demands to victims of the Gen Z protests in 2024, emphasising that youth who were injured and families of those who lost their lives deserved some form of financial redress.
"The youth who sustained injuries and parents of those who died in 2023 during the Azimio protests and the Gen Z protests of last year have to be compensated," Raila asserted.
"Those are the conditions we are setting. But the most important thing is that such incidents should not be happening in our country."
In 2023, the country witnessed a wave of nationwide demonstrations led by Raila Odinga under the Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya coalition. The protests primarily stemmed from disputes over the 2022 presidential election, with the rising cost of living coming as a secondary demand.
The protests, which lasted from March to August 2023, had a lasting negative impact on Kenya's economy and individual lives, with reports indicating that dozens lost their lives during the unrest.
The government eventually held discussions with Azimio through the National Dialogue Committee (NADCO), although talks have since stalled after cracks emerged within the Azimio coalition.
Raila's latest remarks come amid a wave of uncertainty over his next political move after his failed bid to become the African Union Chairperson. Despite being in cordial terms with the Kenya Kwanza government, he has been keen on calling out President William Ruto's regime, presumably to maintain some degree of impartiality.
In January, at the height of abductions, Raila also criticised the Ruto-led Kenya Kwanza administration, challenging the government to uphold truthfulness.
Meanwhile, a political storm is brewing as Raila's allies continue to engage with former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua's camp in a calculated effort to floor Ruto in the upcoming polls.
On Sunday, Gachagua admitted Raila's influence was still immense despite his failed AUC bid, claiming the former Prime Minister held the key to Ruto's future political success. "The President's current life support is Raila Odinga. If we switch it off, it will be the end," Gachagua boldly stated.
