Azimio la Umoja has announced another round of countrywide protests geared at forcing President William Ruto to respond to their demands which include lowering the cost of living.
In a statement read by former Murang'a County Governor Mwangi wa Iria, Azimio la Umoja noted that, unlike the current week, going forward, the opposition will stage protests one day a week. The date for the next anti-govt protests was set for Wednesday, July 26, 2023.
The coalition urged their supporters and the general population to come out in large numbers and demonstrate against the State, vowing that all the leaders will join the protesters despite threats.
"We will be there to ensure that we force this government to listen to the people. We know that they intend to arrest and torture us but we will not relent," Wa Iria stated.
Azimio la Umoja noted that the cost of food, fuel, and other essential goods has been increasing steadily in recent months, putting a strain on household budgets.
The coalition is demanding that the government take action to address the rising cost of living. They are also calling for a reduction in taxes, subsidies on essential goods, and increased government spending on social programs.
The Raila Odinga-led coalition stated that, in the last round of protests, State sanctioned police brutality was meted on innocent demonstrators, especially in the Nyanza region, noting that the maiming witnessed in Kisumu, Migori and Homa Bay was uncalled for.
"A similar atrocity is also underway in parts of Nairobi including Kibra, Mathare. In Kisumu, people are being pulled out of their houses and shot or clobbered to death by police officers.
"In Migori and parts of Homa Bay, police are going into villages away from towns and shooting or clobbering people to death," Azimio la Umoja claimed.
Wa Iria stated that the attacks taking place are clearly planned, and the officers forcefully quelling the protests are well trained.
"They are under a command structure and they are well-resourced,"
It was also claimed that several people were shot dead at close range by plain-clothed officers in Nairobi, Nakuru Mlolongo and Makueni.
The leader, without giving any evidence, claimed that police officers mainly in plain clothes shot and killed citizens, a majority of whom were going about their daily business and others right at their places of work.
According to the coalition, demonstrations without police interference often end peacefully without violence or destruction.
They also condemned the decision by the police command to force access to homes and unnecessarily escalate tensions that led to the loss of lives.
"We demand that Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome and CS Interior Prof Kithure Kindiki must immediately withdraw police officers from people’s homes and residential areas especially now that there are no demonstrations.
"The developments in Nyanza take place against other equally worrying actions by the State. Both police and hired goons are trailing, arresting and shooting people from vehicles with foreign number plates," the Azimio la Umoja claimed.
