Raila Should Have Waited One Year Before Anti-Ruto Protests- Expert

Azimio la Umoja leader, Raila Odinga on Thursday, March 9 launched countrywide mass action which culminated in two protests staged in Nairobi so far on March 20 and March 27 against President William Ruto's government.

Even though he has been promising peaceful demonstrations, the two protests have not completely adhered to his wishes with property destroyed, injuries to police officers and lives lost mostly as a result of running battles between teargas-armed police officers and protesters replying with throwing stones.

On March 27, the protests took daring turns with the invasions of the Northlands farm belonging to the family of former President Uhuru Kenyatta and Raila's East Africa spectre gas plant company by unknown individuals, now the focus of police investigations.

Among the demands Raila wants to be met before he can call off the protests include the lowering of the cost of living, the opening of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) servers in the 2022 presidential elections and the stopping of plans to reconstitute the IEBC.

Azimio la Umoja Leader Raila Odinga addressing media at the Jaramogi Odinga Oginga Foundation on the aftermath of the March 27, 2023 demonstrations on March 28, 2023. /DAILY NATION

However, many Kenyans are opining that the real purpose of the protests was more the coalition's defeat in the 2022 elections, which the principals felt was mired by rigging, than the cost of living which Ruto's Kenya Kwanza government has struggled to address, six months since assuming power in September 2022. Others felt the protests came too soon.

Speaking to Viral Tea, Esther Nyonje, a political risk analyst, believed that Raila should have allowed Ruto to steer the country during his first year in the office instead of using protests to put pressure on him to meet the promises he had set during the pre-election campaigns prior to the August 9 polls.

She believed that Raila was still annoyed about the election results that went against his favour, seven months since the polls took place.

"They should have given him about one year first then start the maandamanos (protests). So Raila could be using his reasons as a decoy and the kicks of a dying horse.

"He still is embittered about the election results. That's is the drive to all this," she said.

Nyonje opined that Raila's actions were out of the ordinary for any opposition, adding that the former Prime Minister should have allowed Ruto one year to run its affairs before taking on it head-on with bouts of criticism.

She gave a short summary of the Head of State's first six months which have mostly featured a transition period and two months facing court cases seeking to disrupt the creation of his government, especially his Cabinet.

"Any sensible person with pure intentions would give the government some time first before wanting to criticise its performance. In the 6 months, 2 months were into court cases and transition," she went on.

Nyonje however argued that President Ruto knew the huge demands that come with going for the highest seat in the country, one which also attracts the highest interest.

During an interview with KBC on Monday, March 27, Nyonje, who also runs a YouTube channel, called upon President Ruto to come up with a solution against the demonstrations in order to focus on service delivery to Kenyans.

The president is getting distracted by the noise, I'm sure right now he is a very stressed person and Rigathi Gachagua does not sleep at night. Promises are good and ambitious...after the promises comes the reality. Looking at Uhuru's regime, we can say he faced the same problems (high cost of living, unemployment, corruption, and distraction by the opposition).

"The President is the symbol of national unity. Ruto has to find a way to curb these demonstrations so that he can focus on the economy and deliver to the people...there is no way he is going to deliver to the people when there are these distractions," she stated.

Esther Nyonje during an interview on March 27, 2023. /KBC

Raila meanwhile maintained that the weekly protests will continue as planned and accused the State of ensuring Monday demonstrations degenerated into chaos and death.