No Cherera 4, No Elections - Raila Declares

Azimio Chief Raila Odinga arrives at the Kamukunji Grounds for a consultative forum on Wednesday, December 7, 2022.
Azimio Chief Raila Odinga arrives at the Kamukunji Grounds for a consultative forum on Wednesday, December 7, 2022.
Raila Odinga

Azimio leader Raila Odinga declared that no elections will be held in the country unless Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Vice Chair Juliana Cherera and three other commissioners are reinstated.

Speaking at the Kamukunji Grounds on Wednesday, December 7, he demanded that Ruto renounces the suspension of the four lest face prolonged civil engagement to push for the same.

He vowed to thwart any plans by Ruto to have his conduits run any forthcoming elections in the country.

Azimio Chief Raila Odinga interacts with a Kenyan at the Kamukunji Grounds for a consultative forum on Wednesday, December 7, 2022
Azimio Chief Raila Odinga interacts with a Kenyan at the Kamukunji Grounds for a consultative forum on Wednesday, December 7, 2022.
Raila Odinga

"Ruto needs to be stopped from putting a place a commission that will be his puppet. If not, then there will not be any elections," Odinga stated.

Odinga gave the President until the end of the year to reverse the changes promising not no hold any consultative forums until 2023.

However, he maintained that the parallel Jamhuri Day celebrations will go on as planned at the Jacaranda grounds on December 12.

During the forum, the former Prime Minister's supporters raised some of the challenges they were facing under President Ruto's government.

Unemployment and the high cost of living dominated the discussions. The youth also complained about the low limit of the recently launched Hustler Fund.

Odinga demanded the government reinstate the abolished Kazi Mtaani project pending the launch of tree-planting, fronted as its replacement and as such, could not put food on people's tables.

Meanwhile, a section of leaders advised the youth not to pay back loans taken under the Hustler Fund with Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna advising loanees to convert it into a grant.

On his part, Ruaraka MP Tom Kajwang' threatened that the leaders would march to State House to demand food following the spike in the cost of basic commodities.

Azimio gave the President 11 demands under the Kamukunji Declaration touching on subsidising school fees and lowering the cost of living.

A supporter celebrates as Azimio Chief Raila Odinga arrives at the Kamukunji Grounds for a consultative forum on Wednesday, December 7, 2022.
A supporter celebrates as Azimio Chief Raila Odinga arrives at the Kamukunji Grounds for a consultative forum on Wednesday, December 7, 2022.
Raila Odinga