Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has criticised Azimio leader Raila Odinga over his new tactic aimed at curbing cases of police brutality in future anti-government protests.
Speaking during a fundraising event at ACK St. Mark's Lokireny in Nandi Hills, Nandi County, on Saturday, August 12, Gachagua remarked that Raila's plan to urge supporters to stay at home and protest inside their houses was the opposition's last resort to seek relevance.
He added that Raila's faction was unable to protest in the streets owing to the heavy deployment of security personnel across the country.
The Deputy President thus urged Raila to concede defeat and acknowledge the presidency of William Ruto.
"I heard Raila telling people to stay in their houses as a new means of protests. He's saying that people won't go to the streets because we made it that way. It's not because he wants, it is because it has become difficult," he stated.
"Raila said that he will restrict people from leaving their homes. The house is yours, so how can he stop you from leaving? So the mass protests are over because we have made it that way. Raila needs to come out clearly and say what he wants," Gachagua added.
The former Mathira MP explained that one of his major duties is to ensure that the opposition is not included in the government.
"My work is simple, to ensure that these people don't get a chance in government. Recently, I flew out of the country and they made attempts to infiltrate hence I came back early. No one will disrupt the president from doing his work," he stated.
Raila had advocated for a new form of protests to ensure that no life is lost during the maandamano. During the interdenominational prayers for victims of police brutality at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Park in Bondo, Siaya County, he accused the government of attacking innocent victims at the protests.
During the event, the DP noted that the government is in the process of lowering the cost of living through the Fertiliser Subsidy programme, which saw the prices of the farm inputs drop from Ksh3,500 to Ksh2,500 for a 50 kg bag.
"Ruto informed me before leaving that I need to implement measures on Monday within the National Treasury and Ministry of Agriculture, National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) to allocate sufficient funds to purchase maize from farmers, ensuring payment within 48 hours to eliminate brokers," Gachagua detailed.
"We will have a meetings on Monday and Tuesday with the president, so by the end of the week, we will provide maize farmers with direction," he added.
The opposition has been adamant that the government must address five issues during the negotiations set to commence on Monday, August 14.
This includes lowering the cost of living, audit of the 2022 election, reconstitution of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, measures to prevent interference with political parties as well as measures to prevent cases of police brutality.
However, the Kenya Kwanza administration has insisted that the talks should be structured on the re-constitution of IEBC, implementation of two-thirds gender rule in parliament, the inclusion of the CDF in the Constitution, the creation of the office of the leader of the opposition and the embedment of the office of the prime cabinet secretary.
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