We Will Not Storm State House During Monday's Protests, Raila Clarifies

Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition leader Raila Odinga has clarified that they will not storm State House during the planned countrywide mass action on Monday as earlier reported.

Odinga, who has called for protests to compel the government to fulfill their demands among them lowering the cost of living, said the coalition will instead send representatives to communicate their grievances to President Ruto.

He also indicated that the coalition, through ODM deputy party leader Wycliffe Oparanya, wrote to the Inspector General of Police to inform him of their planned peaceful demonstrations.

“We are people who respect and know the law…It will be peaceful protests and they have the memorandum which they will take to different government offices. Here in Nairobi, we also have the memos which we are going to take to the President,” he told Citizen TV.

“If he will be in Harambee House, we will take the memos there, if he will be in State House, we will send people to take it there; not the crowd. We will send a message through a few people to take our petition to the President, not the whole crowd.”

He similarly allayed fears of trespass for his supporters, stating that State House is not a protected zone but a public office that every Kenyan should be allowed to visit.

“State House is a public institution where you can go any time, it is not private. It is not that it is a protected area where the public cannot access, it is the office of the president,” Odinga emphasized. “We will send people to deliver the letter. If they are allowed to enter, they will enter. If not, they will leave it at the gate.”

Odinga accused President Ruto and Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua of “pride” and looking down on the opposition leaders.

“If he (Ruto) wanted to talk, he would have. We gave him 14 days to get back but he didn’t, he refused and only addressed us on television. His deputy talks proudly and uses demeaning language,” he stated.

“This is the language they will understand. The demos will go on even beyond Monday until the whole world knows there is a problem in Kenya.”