Raila cancels Kamukunji grounds rally on a day of widespread protests
Azimio la Umoja – One Kenya Coalition leader Raila Odinga has cancelled his planned rally at Kamukunji grounds.
Speaking at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Foundation in Nairobi, Mr Odinga said the decision was arrived at after they received intelligence that police planned to use live bullets on civilians during the rally.
“We have witnessed savage attacks on our supporters by police officers who discriminately shot, injured and killed a number of people across the country, including here in Nairobi,” Mr Odinga said.
Mr Odinga also claimed that goons had been hired to vandalise property to pin the blame on the opposition.
Also read: Azimio demos rock Gachagua’s backyard
The opposition chief accused President William Ruto of staging a tactical elimination method against protesters who he lauded for standing up for their rights.
“Where we have reached, it’s only good to note that there is no going back. We will continue to exercise our constitutional rights until when our demands shall have been met,” he said.
He said scores of protesters were arrested for participating in an exercise that is clearly protected by the Constitution.
Also read: Westlands MP Tim Wanyonyi teargassed during protests in Kangemi
Odinga added that the country was slowly degenerating into a police state where police maim and kill people at will.
“We must not allow it to happen to our country again. We have always said that these meetings remain peaceful until police decide to break them up with bullets and teargas,” he said.
Protesters engaged the police in running battles in various towns and cities on a day of widespread protests across the country.
In Mlolongo, police lobbed teargas to disperse rowdy youth who were protesting the killing of one person during the ongoing anti-government demonstrations. A section of Expressway was also vandalized by the rowdy youth.
Also read: Maandamano Wednesday – What to do incase you run into demonstrators