Leaders from Nairobi, led by Women Representative Esther Passaris, are calling for peace during the Saba Saba Day protests and have exposed a calculated plan to attack the homes of various leaders.
According to Passaris, she has received reports indicating that some Kenyans living in the diaspora are fundraising to support what she describes as violence during the protests.
Speaking at a joint press conference on Sunday, Passaris, who has faced backlash from Kenyans online over the past week, revealed that there is a clear strategy to send funds into the country amidst the ongoing protests.
These demonstrations were sparked by the death of blogger and teacher Albert Ojwang while in police custody last month.
“One message that came to me was from a number from Germany…that said, we are fundraising, we're raising money, and we're going to make sure that we fund the invasion of all the politicians' houses,” Passaris told the press on Sunday.
Adding, “I have a friend currently in the UK, and she was invited for a gathering. And in that gathering, they were actually raising money, all right, to send to Kenya. That was the purpose of the gathering,” she claimed.
The legislator, citing information from Israel, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Dubai, America, Canada, Germany, and the UK, emphasised that now is the time for youth to resist exploitation by politicians aiming to hijack the Saba Saba protests set for Monday.
“What should have been peaceful expressions of concern have been turned into violent confrontations. Shops have been looted, businesses destroyed, lives lost, and the dangerous rhetoric of tribalism has crept into our streets,” the leaders said in a joint statement.
The leaders, including Nairobi Woman Representative Esther Passaris, Nominated Senators Tabitha Mutinda and Karen Nyamu, Makadara MP George Aladwa, and Lang'ata MP Phelix Odiwuor (Jalang'o), urged their fellow politicians to prioritise national unity over political ambitions.
“In this critical moment, we cannot sit back and watch as our country is dragged towards chaos and division,” they warned.
They warned that the protests have been infiltrated by opportunistic politicians and criminal elements, which has transformed peaceful demonstrations into violent confrontations.
“To our fellow leaders, the message is simple: If your politics depends on dividing Kenyans, you have already failed. If your strategy is to ignite tribal hate, you have no place in leadership,” they said.
