Azimio la Umoja party leader, Raila Odinga, on Tuesday, July 11, launched a signature collection initiative called Tumechoka Citizens to discredit President William Ruto's administration.
Speaking at Stephen Kalonzo Centre in Nairobi, Raila urged all Kenyans to append their signatures in solidarity against Ruto and his deputy Rigathi Gachagua.
According to Raila, Ruto's administration had ignored the grievances raised over the Finance Act 2023 and strayed from the will of the people.
"Having read and understood the intention of the promoters of this initiative, I hereby Support the Citizens’ initiative to remove from office Mr. William Ruto as President and Mr. Rigathi Gachagua as Deputy President of the Republic of Kenya," the website tumechoka.com pleads.
The signature collection initiative will be launched in all 47 counties. Kenyans were urged to come out in large numbers and sign the petition to express their dissatisfaction with the current regime.
To further the opposition's political discourse, Raila argued that the people were mandated to protect their future and reject unnecessary tax burdens.
"The signature will show that Raila is not speaking for himself, but for millions of people who are walking together with him," the former Prime Minister stated.
On her part, Narc Kenya Party Leader Martha Karua stated that the signatures were not necessarily meant to impeach President Ruto but to demonstrate defiance against his regime, and force him to listen to the people.
Her statement was contrary to the content on the website, which clearly stated that the signatures would dictate the way forward in the ouster of Ruto and Gachagua.
Karua explained, unlike the propaganda being peddled around, the signature collection provided a platform for Kenyans to express their grievances and disappointments.
“Since there is no place big enough to hold a general meeting of the Kenyan public, we will hold as many meetings as possible across the country.
“The people will hold their own referendum of signatures. By the time we hit the threshold of 10 million, we will know majority of Kenyans are speaking,” she stated, noting that for a long time, Azimio was discredited for arguing that it enjoyed the support of the people.
At the centre of Raila's anti-government protest was the high-cost living, which he claimed was worsened by the new tax measures enforced to collect revenue at the expense of the well-being of the people.
"We are tired of the high cost of living, the tax hikes, and the corruption that is rampant in this government.
"We are tired of being lied to and taken for granted. We are tired of being ruled by a government that does not care about the people," Raila claimed.
The signature collection initiative is the latest in recent protests and demonstrations organised by the opposition in recent months.
Removal of President from Office
A Kenyan President can be removed from office through impeachment or on the grounds of incapacity.
In Kenya, there are two grounds on which a president can be impeached:
- Gross violation of a provision of the Constitution or any other law, including abuse of power, corruption, or treason.
- Committing a crime under national or international law, including genocide, war crimes, or crimes against humanity.
At least a third of all MPs must support a motion tabled in the National Assembly.
If the motion is passed, it is forwarded to the Senate, where the President is tried and given an opportunity to defend himself and present evidence.
The Senate then votes on whether to uphold the charges against the President. Two-thirds of all senators are required to support the motion to oust the President.
The office of the President can also become vacant if the holder of the office dies or resigns in writing in a letter addressed to the Speaker of the National Assembly.
