Raila Odinga
Azimio leader Raila Amolo Odinga is planning to hold a parallel Jamuhuri Day Celebrations on December 12 as a vote of no confidence in President William Ruto’s government.
According to a report on a local daily Raila on Tuesday held a Parliamentary Group (PG) meeting in Nairobi, where the decision to launch anti-government pushbacks was endorsed.
“The matter (of a parallel event) was indeed discussed as a follow-up to the December 7 event, but the leadership agreed to examine it and make a decision,” a source told the Nation Newspaper.
“Some leaders were, however, of the opinion that Jamuhuri Day is an important national event that ought not to be destabilized.” another source added.
The opposition is accusing President Ruto’s administration of orchestrating a witch hunt against the four commissioners of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) who dissented the presidential election results.
The opposition also claims that the government’s decision to import genetically modified (GM) maize, insecurity across the country, and the high cost of living are enough to mobilize the public to put a stop to the government’s excesses.
“We are meeting against the background of the continuing rise in the cost of basic commodities, plans by the government to introduce GM maize and seeds into our country and a determination by the Kenya Kwisha administration to create an electoral body in Ruto’s own image and after his liking. That push to reorganise the IEBC is camouflaged as a trial of the four IEBC commissioners,” the coalition said in a statement.
Raila is reportedly devising a strategy to mobilize Kenyans and put pressure on the Ruto administration to keep its campaign promises.
Insiders believe that the President’s failure to address the difficult economic times, combined with “unpopular policies,” could spark an uprising and harm his administration.
They claim that in order to prevent the Ruto government from burdening Kenyans, the opposition will have to resort to “tax boycott, peaceful non-violent struggle, civil disobedience, and other unspecified consequences.”
