Raila, Kalonzo Security Withdrawn, Says Jeremiah Kioni

Embattled Jubilee Secretary-General Jeremiah Kioni has revealed that security details for Azimio la Umoja leaders Raila Odinga and Kalonzo Musyoka have been withdrawn. 

Kioni said on Monday that the move is a political tactic to prevent the Azimio la Umoja Coalition from organizing mass demonstrations. He criticized the government for blaming others instead of finding solutions to the high cost of living. Kioni blasted President William Ruto's clarion call to his MPs to prevent the protests in their constituencies. 

During a Twitter Space session, Kioni claimed that a hotel in Eldoret is being used as a training ground for a special operations unit by the police. According to Kioni, the opposition allegedly received intel from police officers who did not want to participate in the protests. Azimio leader Raila Odinga on Monday stated that the planned protests on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday will proceed as scheduled. 

"Yesterday, I was called by a supporter in Eldoret and he told me of a hotel which is being used to train these officers during demonstrations. At the time, they were about 200 but now they have increased. Some of the people in that unit were recalled from Special Services Unit (SSU)," Kioni said. 

Raila's assertion comes after High Court technically declined to stop the planned protests. Martin Gitau, a businessman, had gone to court with the help of lawyer Adrian Kamotho to try and halt the planned mass protests announced by Raila. However, Justice Lawrence Mugambi on Monday ordered that the application and petition be submitted in the next three days with responses to follow within ten days. The hearing has been scheduled for July 21, where further directions will be given.