National Assembly Minority Leader Opiyo Wandayi on Monday, July 10, gave President William Ruto one condition before his planned visit to the Nyanza region.
The Ugunja Member of Parliament demanded that Ruto issue an unconditional apology to the region for the unfortunate loss of lives suffered by several residents during the recent opposition protests.
The region is perceived as Azimio leader Raila Odinga's political bedrock having overwhelmingly backed his 5th stab at the presidency. The region has also supported Raila in his previous political quests.
Ruto is expected to tour the region within the month and according to the MP, the only way their supporters are going to listen to the Head of State is if he offers an apology.
“Whoever is intending to invite or host Ruto and his team in our land here, I want you to ask him why they have allowed police officers to kill our sons. Before we can have any engagement with anybody, we want an unconditional apology from non-other than Ruto himself on the matter of police killings that happened in Kisumu and Migori,” he stated.
He added that it was unfortunate that Ruto will be visiting the region just days after deaths were reported in Kisumu and Migori Counties during the Friday, July 7, Saba Saba protests.
He noted that the protestors were innocent and they were just expressing their freedom of expression through peaceful picketing.
Wandayi fumed that it was not acceptable in this day and age, the police can unleash terror on unarmed and peaceful Kenyans.
The legislator stated that leaders from Nyanza who were supporting the President were sellouts and that they were helping him advance outdated politics in the name of development.
The region has six counties including Siaya, Homa Bay, Kisumu, Migori, Kisii and Nyamira.
During the Friday, July 7, demonstrations, a protestor in Kisumu was reportedly shot dead as residents in the region engaged police officers in running battles.
On Saturday, July 8, another protestor who had sustained injuries during the Kisumu protests passed on while receiving treatment at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Referral Hospital.
It was also reported that a student from Migori who was bound to join university in September 2023, died during the protests.
During an impromptu rally in Nairobi on Monday, July 10, Azimio Leader Raila Odinga accused security officers of causing chaos during the Sabasaba rallies.
