Raila Odinga, leader of the Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Party, has pledged to gather more than 10 million signatures to launch what he calls a revolution against President William Ruto’s government.
Odinga was speaking at the Kamukunji Grounds in Nairobi, where he had convened a protest rally to unveil what he had previously described as a nationwide civil disobedience programme aimed at driving the Kenya Kwanza regime out of power.
Despite a police warning that the city centre would be a no-go zone for the demonstrators, the opposition leader only gave a brief speech at Kamukunji before calling on his supporters to march to Central Park in Nairobi.
“Tunaanza hiyo harakati ya kuchukua mamlaka moja kwa moja. Kwanza lazima ijulikane sisi ni wanagpi na ndio maana tunaaza harakati ya kuweka sahihi ili kuonyesha tumechukua hiyo mamlaka chini yetu.”
“Mimi mwenyewe, Raila Amolo Odinga nitaanza hapa hadharani kuweka sahihi na nyinyi nyote mtapata hiyo makaratasi mtaweka masahihi zenu ili kabla ya misho ya wiki ijayo tuwe na zaidi ya sahihi zaidi ya milioni kumi,” he said.
According to the Azimio leader, the mass signature collection will signal their withdrawal of sovereignty from the current government and will be part of an effort to remove President Ruto and his deputy Rigathi Gachagua from office.
Heavy security, including anti-riot police, has been strategically deployed throughout the city to ensure that the Azimio protesters do not enter the city.
Police officers have been forced to use tear gas canisters to disperse crowds attempting to crowd into major roads.
Meanwhile, similar rallies to the Saba Saba Day have taken place across the country, including Kisumu, Kisii, Kakamega, Kirinyaga, Machakos, and Nyahururu.
Several Azimio leaders have been deployed to lead grassroots protests.
