East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) Member of Parliament and the Vice Chairman of the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) Hassan Omar on Tuesday, July 17, declared counter-demonstrations to neutralise Azimio la Umoja-led protests.
While addressing a meeting attended by other UDA leaders, Omar announced that Kenya Kwanza protests will organise parallel protests in Mombasa to coincide with the Azimio la Umoja demonstrations.
The UDA leadership claimed that Azimio la Umoja leaders were taking advantage of the silence from their political camp, noting that they could no longer sit pretty and watch Azimio paralyse business activities and subsequently batter the general economy.
“We can’t accept you causing economic turmoil in Mombasa, I want to tell our women rep and senator, that enough is enough, let them do it, I have told them, that we will be behind the police to see who dares,” Omar stated.
The former Mombasa Senator hinted that the Kenya Kwanza Coalition possessed both the capacity and resources to organize significant protests, capable of drawing crowds on par with the Azimio la Umoja demonstrations.
Omar called out Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Party Leader Raila Odinga for what he termed as monopolising mass actions, noting that he will soon be proved wrong.
“We will not accept any minute of protest, even if its three minutes, we have reports that they are planning in Bangladesh, Maweni, Kisauni and Tudor Mwisho, and Majengo they want to use the poor to benefit themselves, we will be on the streets ourselves to protect our property,” Omar stated.
Omar noted that Kenya Kwanza will not condone the senseless destruction of property and violence.
He urged Kenya Kwanza supporters and Mombasa residents to collaborate with security agencies to defend their lives and property.
"UDA leadership of Mombasa County took a common stand to condemn the destruction and violent protests by the opposition and to thwart the potential spread of the violence and destruction to Mombasa and the Coast," Omari revealed.
At the event, Omar was joined by former Starehe MP Charles Kanyi (Jaguar), Mombasa County Minority Leader and Mtopanga Ward MCA Morgan Masaki, MCAs Sylvester Kai (Junda) and Samuel Mwaura (Kongowea) and the Chairperson of the Youth Enterprise Development Fund Fatma Barayan.
On Tuesday, 18, Azimio la Umoja principal Martha Karua assured their supporters that the protests will go on regardless of threats from President William Ruto and other senior government officials.
Karua also warned neighbouring countries, including Uganda and Tanzania, not to participate in Kenya's internal affairs through the supply of arms to the Kenya Kwanza government.
The NARC-Kenya party leader alleged that President William Ruto's administration had entered into a partnership with a militia to harm the Azimio principals.
"Our crime is that we have challenged Ruto to bring down the cost of food, reconstitute IEBC and audit last year's president elections and respect political parties," Karua stated.
