Raila: Demos Every Monday & Thursday, Boycott The Star Newspaper

Azimio leader Raila Odinga has declared that the coalition will hold protests on Mondays and Thursdays of every week across the country.

Speaking during a media briefing on Tuesday, March 21, Raila noted that public demand influenced the coalition to add Thursday to its weekly protest schedule, a day after he announced that protests would be held every Monday.

"In the second phase of our protests, in response to public demand, we shall now hold protests every Monday and Thursday beginning next week," he stated.

Raila Odinga addressing the media on March 21, 2023. /TWITTER.FLORA LIMUKII

The former Prime Minister further ordered his supporters to boycott several brands, including Radio Africa Group, particularly The Star newspaper, as well as a local bank and a telco.

"They have become enablers and facilitators of this brutal regime. We have the details of why we are saying so, and our supporters will understand," he stated, without giving further reasons for the boycott.

Raila turned his criticism towards President William Ruto for showing a dictatorship style of leadership during the six months he has been in power.

"Ruto’s greatest aspiration is to return Kenya to the old dictatorship where he is the unquestioned tyrant controlling everyone’s life. We have come to the conclusion that our police shall never change unless we make them change," he noted. 

"We reiterate to our supporters and all patriotic Kenyans that this struggle is just starting. We are not looking and we will not be intimidated. No retreat, no surrender."

He further castigated the force shown by police officers on the Monday, March 20, protests whereby the Azimio principals and his supporters were stopped from marching to State House.

Raila singled out Nairobi police boss Adamson Bungei over the orders issued to police officers against his supporters during the protests.

"We are going for individual responsibility and culpability against officers who acted against the Constitution. So far, we have a case to file individual charges against Mr Adamson Bungei. We will press these charges locally and internationally.

"That brutality witnessed yesterday does not belong to this country. It is more disgusting because the citizens were acting within the provisions of the Constitution. We had given notice of the intention to march in Nairobi," he pointed out.

He also alleged that there were assassination attempts on his and Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka's lives as the protests went on.

"There was an attempt on the lives of both Kalonzo and me, our cars were shot at but luckily we were unharmed. We are shocked that police would assemble so much personnel and equipment to confront peaceful protesters," he claimed.

He further demanded the immediate and unconditional release of all his supporters who were arrested on March 20. Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome had earlier disclosed that 238 people were arrested during the protests in Nairobi and Kisumu.

Raila reiterated that he will not relent until the Kenya Kwanza government understands that the people are hurting and that their suffering must be at the centre of its priorities as a nation, and that he would push on until the cost of food, fuel and electricity come down.

A photo of some of the police water cannon trucks used on March 20, 2023, mounted on a police water cannon truck. /RAILA ODINGA