The Azimio la Umoja coalition on Thursday, March 16 briefed its upporters on the way forward ahead of planned mass action in Nairobi.
While addressing the media on behalf of Azimio Leader Raila Odinga, ODM Secretary General Edwin Sufuna and Minority Leader in the National Assembly Opiyo Wandayi warned employers against denying their staff the chance to participate in the protests.
Wandayi claimed that the employees had the right to take part in what he termed as their national duty.
"They should release their employees and allow them to participate in their national duty. The media, of course, will be on duty," Wandayi claimed.
On Tuesday, March 14, Raila declared, though against the law, that Monday, March 20 is a public holiday that should be observed by everyone in Kenya.
“In the name of Azimio one Kenya Alliance, We declare that Monday, March 20 will be a public holiday," Raila announced while speaking during a rally in Siaya County.
Raila made the announcement after NARC Kenya leader Martha Karua urged him to make the declaration to give room for Kenyans to take part in the mass action.
“We ask you, your excellency, to declare that day Monday, 20 March a public holiday so we can get on with this matter of anti-government demos. We can’t have rigged elections year in, year out," Karua requested.
The leaders also chided President William Ruto for asking ODM Party Leader Raila Odinga to agree with the National Police Service on how the mass action will be conducted.
"The police know their duty, which is to protect lives and property. It is not the work of Raila Odinga or anyone in Azimio to help them do their work," Wandayi stated.
Sifuna stated that the Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Coalition will hold President William Ruto and his deputy Rigathi Gachagua personally responsible should anything happen to Raila.
"Should Raila Odinga so much as catch a cold on Monday, the person to be held responsible is none other than Ruto and Gachagua," Sifuna declared.
The ODM Party Secretary General also noted he will write to Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja and other relevant security agencies, asking them to provide the necessary support to Kenyans who will be taking part in mass action.
"We will write to the head of traffic in Nairobi to inform him which roads are going to be affected.
"We will write to the governor, I have told him that we will receive visitors with dignity and he should not embarrass us. We want clean public toilets so that people can use them, running water in Nairobi and ambulances because somebody can faint of exhaustion," Sifuna stated.
President William Ruto on Wednesday, March 15 President Ruto asked Odinga to ensure that the protests are peaceful.
"It is your responsibility to work with the police to ensure that for the rest of the citizens in Kenya, their lives are not disrupted their property is not destroyed and their businesses are not affected and they can go to work, you can carry out demonstrations," Ruto stated.
