Orange Democratic Movement Party leader Raila Odinga has called for urgent police reforms to end the worrying deterioration of the police-civilian relationship.
In his Saba Saba Day address at the Serena Hotel on Monday, July 7, Raila called for what he called a national conclave to change the country's trajectory.
According to Raila, there was an urgent need for police reforms to mend the relationship between civilians and law enforcers and ultimately end the spate of killings during protests.
"I propose that the country urgently turn to the agenda of comprehensive police reforms focused on transparency, accountability and improving the police-to-people relationship," Raila said.
Besides police reforms, Raila also noted the growing distrust between Kenyans, particularly the younger generation, and the Kenya Kwanza government. To address this, the ODM party leader proposed the formation of a conclave that would specifically be tasked with tackling the issues Kenyans have been consistently lamenting about.
“I propose an inclusive intergenerational national conclave that hears our people on all divides to come up with non-reducible reforms and changes to take the country forward,” he added.
“The conclave should come up with better ways of addressing transparency and impunity with regard to corruption to ensure that leaders are held accountable for their actions.”
Raila, who is among the pioneers of the Saba Saba movement, was expected to be at the Kamkunji grounds on Monday to address Kenyans gathered at the venue for the 35th anniversary.
However, the gathering was derailed by heavy police presence in Nairobi and its environs, with a majority of major roads in Nairobi blocked to the public.
The ODM party leader further claimed that while he had full intentions of making his way to the Kamkunji grounds as had been the norm on July 7, circumstances prevented the event from proceeding.
He went on, “Yesterday I did an interview saying I would be in Kamkunji for the Saba Saba Day. Unfortunately, with the circumstances of the roads being blocked, I decided to talk to the media here in Serena.”
While calling for an end to what he described as impunity within the three arms of government, Raila further divulged that the conclave he envisioned should be made up of impartial individuals who would address issues like opportunities for the youth.
"I propose that the forum come up with a comprehensive and sustainable strategy to address youth unemployment and expansion of opportunities for the youth in the formal and informal sectors," Raila asserted.
Notably, Raila’s address took place amid running battles outside the Serena Hotel, as the ODM boss had to stop his speech on several occasions due to the loud bang of gunfire.
As far as the protests are concerned, police contained demonstrators for a large part of Monday morning, but violence broke out in several estates, particularly in Nairobi, as protesters threatened to overpower law enforcement.
At the time of publication of this article, at least four people were reported to have been shot by police on Monday during the protests.
Without naming names, Raila, in his address, appeared to suggest that some elements allied to the regime he fought against in the 1980s and early 90s were behind the frequent skirmishes witnessed whenever there were demonstrations.
"It is quite unfortunate that some of the people we were fighting then, and who sanctioned those arrests, are trying to hide behind Saba Saba to advance their political fortunes. Some of them are alive today and are masquerading as liberators," Raila said.
