I Won't Join Azimio Protests- Esther Passaris Explains Why
Though she supported Kenyans' rights to express themselves through demonstrations, she felt that she cannot join the protests in her personal view.
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Nairobi County woman representative, Esther Passaris, on Tuesday, June 6 declared that she will not join any anti-government protests called by the Azimio la Umoja coalition.
Speaking to KTN News on the sidelines outside Parliament Buildings, Passaris revealed that she has been battling Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) for six years now and has been worsening by the day.
Though she supported Kenyans' rights to express themselves through demonstrations, she felt that she cannot join the protests in her personal view.
Photo of Nairobi Woman Representative Esther Passaris on May 10, 2023. /ESTHER PASSARIS
"I suffer from PTSD since 2017 and I've never recovered and it gets worse. So I personally will not join maandamanos (protests).
"I believe that everybody has a right to express themselves and to go out and demonstrate but personally, for health reasons, I do not go for demonstrations but I also feel that we can sit down and talk," she stated.
What Is PTSD?
According to MayoClinic, PTSD is a mental health condition that's triggered by a terrifying event, either experiencing it or witnessing it. Symptoms may include flashbacks, nightmares and severe anxiety, as well as uncontrollable thoughts about the event.
Most people who go through traumatic events may have temporary difficulty adjusting and coping, but with time and good self-care, they usually get better. If the symptoms get worse, last for months or even years, and interfere with one's day-to-day functioning, one may have PTSD.
Meanwhile, Passaris advocated for Kenyans to stand up for their rights, agreeing with Azimio leader, Raila Odinga who wants a better-run country and not a handshake deal from the Kenya Kwanza government.
"We've got some hardcore on both sides; this hardcore saying that we don't want a handshake. Raila doesn't want a handshake, he wants the country governed well, and he wants the people to get what they want," she added.
Regarding the cost of food, she referred to a local newspaper's headline revealing that the cost would shoot up, noting that it will increase before it goes down, in line with the current affairs of the world.
"We saw today in the headlines that prices of food are going to go up and they will go up before they come down, so that's the reality of the world that we live in," she added.
Passaris Supporting Ruto's Finance Bill
In an earlier interview with the station, she expressed support for certain elements of the Finance Bill 2023, including the Housing plan, emphasising the importance of allowing President William Ruto sufficient time to implement the Housing plan.
Despite being met with opposition from Kenyans, Passaris, a prominent figure among Azimio, noted that the contentious housing levy would help address settlement problems in the city, especially slums which she termed as an embarrassment to their inhabitants, especially when juxtaposed against affluent neighbourhoods and shopping malls.
“We need to eliminate slums and all the things that come with them; there is increased crime, illegal connections of electricity, and fires every week. Nairobi should not have fancy malls like Two Rivers, Sarit and Village Market and at the same time you have people living down the road in such total indignity,” the woman representative stated.
In her view, the housing levy, if used correctly without being embezzled, will address housing challenges.
“Let’s give the benefit of the doubt and pray that the government deals decisively with corruption. If the government does not deal with corruption, we’re going to have a massive problem no matter how much we collect we will not deliver the services,” she added.
Protests were held in the Nairobi Central Business District (CBD) on Tuesday, with demonstrators converging at Jeevanjee Gardens. However, police officers lobbed teargas canisters to disperse the rowdy crowd which disrupted traffic and business at the National Treasury at Harambee Avenue, curtailing their march to Parliament.
Eugene Wamalwa, the former Defence Cabinet Secretary and current Democratic Action Party of Kenya (DAP-Kenya) leader signalled on Sunday, June 4 that the Azimio coalition will return to mass action protests if the controversial Finance Bill 2023 is not reviewed.
