A showdown looms on Friday between police and supporters of the Azimio La Umoja One Kenya party as they are set to hold a rally at the Kamukunji Grounds to commemorate Saba Saba Day.
The rally is expected to culminate in nationwide protests to pressure President William Ruto’s government to repeal some sections of the Finance Act 2023.
Raila Odinga, leader of the Azimio opposition coalition, has promised to lead a large rally at the Kamukunji Grounds to commemorate the country’s “Third Liberation” on Saba Saba Day.
Odinga pledged at Kamukunji grounds to launch a campaign of “defiance and civil disobedience” against the current government of President William Ruto, which he accuses of being punitive on the people.
The Azimio coalition announced last week that it will start collecting signatures today to “signal the withdrawal of their sovereignty from officials of this illegitimate regime, including Mr William Ruto and all elected leaders who supported the Finance Bill 2023.”
The Azimio leaders and their supporters plan to march from Kamukunji grounds to the Nairobi CBD, which police have warned against.
Nairobi Regional Police Commander Adamson Bungei stated on Thursday that no gatherings would be permitted outside the Kamukunji grounds.
“We have only legalised the Kamukunji meeting and we will not allow any other meeting anywhere else,” Bungei was quoted by the Nation.
The former premier has urged citizens to back his move to stand against what he terms as ‘dictatorship’ and reject newly introduced taxes which he said have made the lives of Kenyans unbearable.
“It has become clear that we are dealing with a dictator who also has no respect for wananchi. Ruto has become a heartless tyrant,” he stated last week.
“As a people, we are not given to suffer in silence; we do not kneel before dictators and beg for their mercy. Even the few who do still suffer humiliation and even death, so we fight! Let us proceed with a bold determination that we are going to stick together and work together.”
Meanwhile, most parts of the city remained calm on Friday morning, including the Kamukunji grounds, where the Saba Saba rally is scheduled to take place.
Despite the fact that most businesses in the city are still closed, security deployment has been increased in areas considered opposition strongholds.
