LIVE: Raila Odinga: We Will Have Protests Every Monday

Azimio La Umoja leader Raila Odinga on Sunday, March 19 affirmed that Monday, March 20’s “grand march to State House” is on and will kick off at Nairobi’s Central Business District (CBD).

The purpose of Azimio's rally is to challenge President William Ruto to lower the cost of living and to have the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) open its election servers for audit.

Security has already been deployed in areas across the Central Business District (CBD) in Nairobi in readiness for the Azimio protests as well as areas perceived to be Azimio strongholds.

Keep refreshing this page as Viral Tea provides you with the latest updates, reactions and analysis as the mass action kicks off.

5.47 pm: Police block all entry points to prevent Raila Odinga from entering the Nairobi CBD as he is stuck in traffic along Wangari Maathai road.

Police block all entry points to prevent Raila Odinga from entering the Nairobi CBD as he is stuck in traffic#Maandamano pic.twitter.com/NExeKV5V5D — Viral Tea Ke (@ViralTeaKe) March 20, 2023

Raila Odinga's convoy diverts from the Pangani tunnel along Thika Road to Forest Road, away from Nairobi CBD#Maandamano pic.twitter.com/7yrC8BRIbz — Viral Tea Ke (@ViralTeaKe) March 20, 2023

5.25 pm: Raila's convoy joins Thika Road after spending nearly 40 minutes in Mathare.

5.10 pm: Leaders from Nyandarua condemn the ongoing Azimio la Umoja nationwide demonstrations.

5.02 pm: Raila Odinga's car stoned.

"We are now under direct attack by water cannon trucks and tear gas. Our windscreen has been badly damaged. A bullet has hit our vehicle in which Raila Odinga and I are riding," Makau Mutua tweeted.

We are now under direct attack by water cannon trucks and tear gas. Our windscreen has been badly damaged. A bullet has hit our vehicle in which Raila Odinga and I are riding- Makau Mutua#Maandamano pic.twitter.com/gVleCkPO9C — Viral Tea Ke (@ViralTeaKe) March 20, 2023

4.27 pm: Protesters vandalise premises of UDA offices in Milimani, Kisumu. Two vehicles were torched and another two were damaged.

Scene after UDA offices in Kisumu is torched on March 20, 2023. /TWITTER

4.10 pm: National Assembly Majority Leader Ndindi Nyoro: This barbaric grandstanding will not yield. They can demonstrate for as long as they wish but Freedom for the people they have beguiled in their imaginary fiefdom is coming to an end

3.27 pm: Raila Odinga announces demonstrations every Monday until his demands are met.

“We stated that today was a public holiday to allow us to protest. We have started a war. Every Monday, we will be protesting, are we in agreement?

“A war has started and it will not end until Kenyans get what they rightfully deserve,” Raila declared.

3.24 pm: Raila's convoy crosses Kamukunji and Eastleigh

2.51 pm: Police thwart planned press conference at Serena Hotel as Raila Odinga's convoy is teargassed as he moves to Kamukunji from Nairobi CBD.

2.48 pm: Several Azimio politicians were arrested for trying to access Raila's meeting at Serena Hotel but were released minutes later.

2.45 pm: Raila Odinga arrives in Nairobi CBD. Watch Live:

EALA MP Winnie Odinga arrives at Serena Hotel where Azimio Leader Raila Odinga and Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka are reportedly situated.

2.20 pm: Heavy security deployed to Serena Hotel ahead of the media briefing by Azimio leaders

2.16 pm: Kisumu Governor Anyang' Nyong'o asks police to arrest demonstrators who are destroying property.

"Kisumu demonstrations were largely peaceful until a few hooligans infiltrated the crowd and started destroying property. I wish to appeal to the police to identify and arrest the culprits and establish if it could be true that they had been sponsored by some groups or individuals to tarnish the name of Kisumu residents," he stated. 

2.00 pm: Azimio leaders give a two-hour ultimatum to release arrested MPs

1.54 pm: Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua asks Raila Odinga to consider calling off the anti-government protests so that people can go back to their businesses, claiming that the protests have cost the government almost Ksh2 billion.

1.06 pm: Azimio leaders issue press conference at Parliament Buildings, criticise police response to protests. Read here

12.19 pm: Police arrest former Nakuru County Assembly Speaker Joel Kairu and Nakuru ODM chairman Benard Miruka.

12.09 pm: Matatu operators flee from Nairobi CBD as demonstrations intensify.

Matatu operators flee Nairobi CBD as demonstrations intensify#MassActionKE pic.twitter.com/aDIlPLJj0N — KTN News (@KTNNewsKE) March 20, 2023

11.40 am: Mombasa County, which voted overwhelmingly for Odinga in the last three general elections; 2013, 2017 and 2022, did not witness any kind of street protests and running battles.

11.26 am: NARC Kenya party leader, Martha Karua, accuses President Ruto's administration of terrorising peaceful protesters after police reportedly arrested boda boda operators going on with their daily business.  

"The illegitimate Ruto regime cannot suspend the right to peaceful procession and unleash a reign of terror on Kenyans.

"We must continue to resist until we restore our constitutional order. Why harass boda boda riders earning their daily bread in a battered economy? The actions of police today reveal that this illegitimate regime is scared of citizens," she tweeted. 

10.49 am: National Assembly Minority Leader Opiyo Wandayi arrested in Nairobi CBD.

10.43 am: One person has been reportedly shot at Toi Market by a police officer with traders screaming that it was a mechanic, not a protester.

"One person has just been shot near Toi Market. Traders are screaming that he is a mechanic, not a protester. They say it's a police officer with rank who fired," BBC journalist Ferdinand Omondi tweeted.

10.39 am: FACT CHECK: A video by Azimio TV shared on Twitter purporting that protesters are marching along Jogoo Road to Nairobi CBD has been traced by Viral Tea to along Thika Road during their last pre-election rally in Kasarani.

Jogoo RD inbound to CBD, tunasija kusija. Rero ni rero! #DateWithDestiny20thMarch #RutoMustGo pic.twitter.com/aDLYkhe9OV — Azimio TV (@AzimioTv) March 20, 2023

10.23 am: Former Prime Minister, Raila Odinga, shares a clip of Nairobi Senator, Edwin Sifuna addressing a group of youth at KICC as he assures protesters that he is set to join them.

"I see the work has begun. We are on our way," Raila stated.

10.14 am: Kilifi Senator and Senate Minority Leader Stewart Madzayo has been arrested as Azimio protesters face a crackdown by police, alongside Malindi MP Amina Mnyazi.

10.03 am: Business operations are paralyzed in the Lakeside city of Kisumu as most residents keep off the Central Business District (CBD) during the Azimio mass demonstrations.

9.59 am: Suna East MP Junet Mohamed denied access to KICC by police officers.

9.51 am: Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna and Azimio MP Peter Salasya join ongoing Azimio la Umoja protests in Nairobi. Sifuna led the protestors into the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC).

MP Peter Salasya with a sufuria and spoon ready for maandamano at Nairobi CBD pic.twitter.com/is6t2jlpj2 — Viral Tea Ke (@ViralTeaKe) March 20, 2023

9.26 am: Azimio makes last-minute changes to the dress code. Read here

9.01 am: Police lob teargas at protesters who convened outside the KICC building in Nairobi CBD, arrest them and bundle them into a waiting lorry.

We fear nothing- say Azimio supporters at City Hall ahead of maandamano#ViralVideos pic.twitter.com/6X01z3Pklq — Viral Tea Ke (@ViralTeaKe) March 20, 2023

9.00 am: Azimio la Umoja protestors in Kibera stone a vehicle belonging to Nation Media Group (NMG) while clashing with the police

8.32 am: G4S, a British multinational private security company headquartered in London, England with branches in Kenya, reveals 11 areas in Nairobi considered as high risk ahead of the Azimio la Umoja mass action on Monday, March 20. Read here

8.00 am: Police officers chased away youth who sought to access KICC along Nairobi's Central Business District (CBD).

7.30 am: East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) MP Winnie Odinga complained that her electronics were hacked. She, however, affirmed that she would participate in the planned demonstrations.

"All electronics hacked! All completely unusable, all dead! Meet me in the streets," she stated.

Nation Media Group press vehicle stoned as police repulse youth in Kibera pic.twitter.com/R65zA7uJg0 — Viral Tea Ke (@ViralTeaKe) March 20, 2023

7.25 am: Little activity at Raila's home in Karen, Nairobi an hour into the scheduled mass action. The Media was not allowed past the roadblock mounted a few metres from the former prime minister's gate. 

7.16 am: Police resort to using tear gas in Kibra to disperse demonstrators who were throwing stones and attempting to march towards the Central Business District (CBD).

7.10 am: Anti-riot police deployed to secure KICC and Nairobi CBD ahead of Azimio demonstrations.

Along State House Road @KShaddie1 pic.twitter.com/4nVNFETjTl — Flora Limukii (@limukii_f) March 20, 2023

7.00 am: Security deployed along several roads in Nairobi, with General Service Unit (GSU) officers deployed to barricade roads leading to State House, including Processional Way. More police officers were sent to guard State House Gate A, B and C.