Mass Action: Azimio Makes Eleventh Hour Changes To Dress Code
The purpose of Azimio's rally is to challenge President William Ruto to lower the cost of living and...
admin
The Azimio la Umoja coalition made last-minute changes affecting the dress code of supporters who will be attending the Monday, March 20, mass rally.
Jubilee Party Secretary General Jeremiah Kioni in a statement on Sunday, March 19 made the eleventh-hour changes after he received intelligence reports of hooligans hired to disrupt the demonstrations.
The statement which was also endorsed by the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) further revealed that the hooligans were allegedly hired to dress them in their party-branded outfits so that they can cause chaos in the name of Azimio supporters.
Raila Odinga addressing supporters in Githurai on March 17, 2023. /RAILA ODINGA
"This evening I have been made aware of a devious plot by our opponents and detractors to dress up some characters in Jubilee Party attire and merchandise, with the intention to use these persons to disrupt peace and cause chaos during the People's mass action," stated Kioni in part.
The former Ndaragwa Member of Parliament (MP) reiterated that the mass action is a march by Kenyans and not a Jubilee Party event, and as such none of its members and supporters attending the march should dress up in Jubilee Party attire or colours.
"This is a peaceful gathering and march and our members and supporters are hereby reminded to keep the peace and remain mindful of the rights of other Kenyans. Once again I urge you all to turn up in large numbers as we gather and march for justice and the right for everyone to afford living in this country," added Kioni.
Supporting Kioni’s statement, ODM party leadership also maintained that they were planning to hold peaceful protests and that all Azimio supporters were warned not to wear their respective party colours.
“Kenyans will hold peaceful demonstrations tomorrow. It is a constitutional right.
“Our rivals have acquired shirts with ODM/Azimio colours to be worn by their hired supporters to cause mayhem. We want to warn them that no one from our side will wear party colours,” the Party remarked on the dress code changes.
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.
However, the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) announced on Sunday that it would counter Azimio's mass action with a parallel rally.
"We appreciate the role and mandate of The National Police Service, in maintaining law and order, preserving peace, and protecting life and property.
"It is in this regard, we write to request security personnel in view of hustlers that will be demonstrating against divisive politics, destruction of property, and probable loss of lives. This is in light of Azimio's Countrywide demonstrations scheduled for Monday 20th, 2023," stated UDA Secretary General Cleophas Malala in part.
The former Kakamega Senator added that the party would be expecting at least 20,000 people in Monday's picketing on Karen, Kitisuru, and Lower Kabete roads leading to the following homesteads;
- Raila Odinga
- Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka
- Martha Karua
- Eugene Wamalwa
Nairobi Regional Police Commander Adamson Bungei had earlier confirmed receiving only two notices of planned public demonstrations; one from Azimio and the other from the Nairobi Business Community. He however invalidated both of the requests, explaining that none of them had adhered to the procedures provided in the Public Order Act.
Raila however dismissed Bungei's claims, stating that their notice, signed by the Chairman of the Azimio Executive Council Wycliffe Oparanya, had been issued on Friday, March 17, and not on Saturday, March 18, as revealed by Bungei.
