Azimio will next week step up protests after the opposition coalition Friday announced via a tweet that there will be protests next week on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.
The announcement came a day after Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna said protests would be held for three consecutive days every week starting from Monday, July 17. The ODM secretary-general was speaking during a media interview on Thursday, July 13.
The senator revealed that plans were underway to carry out the demonstrations on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays. He stated that the mass action would continue until President William Ruto responds to the opposition’s demands. He further added that the president must repeal the Finance Act 2023, a demand he considers non-negotiable.
“Starting from next week, there will be three consecutive days of protests. We will have protests on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. We will protest until Ruto understands that people are suffering and repeals this law that he imposed on them,” Sifuna stated.
Sifuna added that the government has consistently ignored the struggles of many Kenyans. He lamented that Kenyans cannot afford basic necessities due to the high cost of living.
“I’m telling the government to stop talking and start taking action. The government needs to realize that Kenyans are angry with them. If Ruto had listened to Kenyans, the chaos would not have occurred,” Sifuna remarked.
He further explained that the motive behind the weekly protests was to allow more people to participate by adopting a new strategy of ‘shifts.’ If someone is available on Monday, they can join the protests. Meanwhile, those unavailable on Monday can participate on Tuesday or Wednesday.
“We have exhausted all forms of communication, persuasion, and mediation by committing ourselves to dialogue with the government. But they have refused to listen. They introduced a bill that the majority of Kenyans opposed. Yet they went ahead and passed it. Therefore, we are saying that until they listen to the people, we will continue with our cause,” Sifuna asserted.
The Nairobi Senator has been at the forefront of leading the Nairobi chapter of ‘maandamano’.
Sifuna’s statement comes as Azimio leader Raila Odinga vowed to lead a third wave of protests and communicate the next course of action after canceling the Kamukunji rally.
According to Raila, he called off the rally based on reports of a planned attack. In his speech, he criticized the Kenya Kwanza regime, alleging that they orchestrated the chaos by hiring thugs to disrupt the mass action.
