Azimio Denies Possible Ruto Talks With Uhuru Hours Before 14-Day Deadline

Azimio la Umoja coalition on Wednesday, March 8 denied knowing any attempts by President William Ruto to set up a meeting with former President Uhuru Kenyatta ahead of the looming mass protests.

Speaking during a press conference in Nairobi, ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna stated that the coalition had no knowledge of information related to the possible meeting, urging the party's supporters to wait for the way forward on Thursday, March 9.

Reports had claimed that President Ruto had sent emissaries to Uhuru on Tuesday, March 7 in order to prevent the coalition from realising its mass action promise at the end of 14 days.

They further alleged that Kenya's fourth president had turned down the request which had reportedly involved Uhuru's cousin, meaning the stage for a possible showdown is still in the works if the coalition honours its threat.

"Where are you getting that because I don't think anyone of us here is aware of what you're discussing. We will be speaking to the country tomorrow as the Azimio coalition upon the expiry of the deadline to set out the next course of action. 

"We have no information on that. We cannot address something we are not privy to," the SG stated.

The leaders had called upon their supporters to await a full statement on the coalition's next course of action under former Prime Minister, Raila Odinga, with Sifuna adding that the action plan on March 9 would detail a roadmap to address the high cost of living.

Azimio meanwhile criticised the Kenya Kwanza government for constantly revisiting the woes the country had under the previous government instead of fixing the economy, poking holes at State House's inflated budget under the new regime.

"Months after Kenya Kwanza came to power, day in, and day out, we are bombarded with how bad things were when the Kenya Kwanza regime took over. William Ruto never tires of telling us how President Uhuru Kenyatta ruined the country.

"It doesn't seem to occur to him that he found the State House budget pegged at Ksh4 billion which he increased to Ksh9 billion ostensibly for tea and Mandazi," read the statement in part. 

In their quest to demand answers from the Kenya Kwanza government regarding the status of the economy, Azimio leaders noted that the protests would target specific government offices.

"Our question to William Ruto, Gachagua the team at the National Treasury and the so-called council of economic advisers are: When are things going to get better?

"When will the shilling stop falling and losing to other currencies? When will the shortage of dollars end? When will the price of essential commodities come down What is the plan? Can the plan be shared with Kenyans? We are concerned that the timeline keeps shifting," the coalition posed.

In anticipation of this, police on Wednesday beefed up security around State House and state lodges countrywide, erecting roadblocks in anticipation that Raila would lead protests to the President's official residences.

On February 22, Raila gave the Kenya Kwanza government 14 days for the food subsidies to be restored to protect Kenyans from the high cost of living, for the taxes imposed on Kenyans to come down, for the process of reconstituting the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to stop and for the opening of servers.

“The deadline is today at midnight, so expect to hear from us on Thursday morning, March 9,” warned the Azimio leader.