Developing story: Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi confirmed dead in chopper crash
Azimio calls off Wednesday protests, asks Kenyans to hold vigil for victims of police brutality
Azimio leaders led by Raila Odinga address journalists at SKM Command Centre in this file photo.
The leaders of the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition on Monday called off the protests scheduled for tomorrow, but will instead hold solidarity parades and vigils for victims of police brutality at various locations across the country.
In a statement, the Raila Odinga-led coalition urged Kenyans to come out, light candles and lay flowers, preferably white, in remembrance and respect for the victims.
“On this day, we will also begin the process of reaching out to the families of the victims to offer any assistance that can ease their burden. During the vigils, candle lighting and floral tributes, we encourage Kenyans to say prayers and read the names of the victims,” the statement said.
“We also ask Kenyans to pray that the International Criminal Court will take up the matter on the basis of an expanded list of perpetrators, which we intend to submit to the court in due course.”
The announcement came amid pressure from the international community for the coalition to call off the protests and give dialogue a chance.
Some coalition principals, led by Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, huddled in a meeting at the SKM Command Centre on Monday to discuss their plans in light of the envoys’ position.
There were reports that Mr Odinga would hold a meeting with foreign missions at the Kempinski Hotel in Nairobi today to listen to their demands for an end to the protests, but the opposition leader’s spokesman Dennis Onyango said he would only address foreign correspondents.
“The Kempinski meeting is with foreign correspondents, not envoys. The Foreign Correspondents Association requested a meeting,” Mr Onyango told the ‘Nation’.
Representatives of the opposition coalition have been holding meetings with diplomats for the past three days, presenting their demands, including a call for the government to reduce the cost of living, but have yet to receive a counter-offer from the Ruto administration that would justify calling off the protests.
“The pressure is too much, I can tell you that. But so far I cannot say whether the protests will be called off or not. It's 50-50 so far, but let's wait for an official communication tomorrow (today)," said a party official, shortly before the coalition issued a statement last night.
Mr Musyoka, National Assembly Minority Leader Opiyo Wandayi, Jubilee secretary-general Jeremiah Kioni and former Murang'a Governor Mwangi Wa Iria are some of the opposition leaders who have held talks with the envoys.
The meetings were sanctioned by Mr Odinga and Narc Kenya leader Martha Karua.
But even as pressure mounts on the opposition to call off the protests and engage in dialogue to resolve the stalemate, some leaders allied to President Ruto have remained adamant, saying there is no room for talks with the opposition.
“What talks? We are now busy serving the people of Kenya by delivering quality services and building our nation. We have just read our budget which is key to our economic transformation agenda and we are keen on implementing the budget and other policies,” said Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro.
He continued: “We, therefore, have no time or space left for talks to appease the egos of politicians. In a nutshell, we are not engaged in political talks with any faction. Kenya is a democracy and the issues of governance were concluded last year. We are not engaging in the sham called dialogue or talks.”
Azimio is said to have presented its demands to the diplomats, including “a quest to reduce the cost of living, a halt to the unilateral reconstitution of the IEBC, respect for multi-party democracy and an audit of the IEBC servers with a view to enhancing electoral justice in the country”.
The opposition also urged the international community to stop the regime from what it called the brutalisation of innocent citizens exercising their right to protest as enshrined in Article 37 of the Constitution.
The Law Society of Kenya also weighed in yesterday, with the body calling on the international community to “prevail on the government and supporting parties to find constructive and peaceful solutions to the issues currently facing the nation”.
In a statement by LSK President Eric Theuri, the society said it is deeply concerned by recent events in the country, which ‘reveal a systematic adoption of a culture of human rights violations and disproportionate use of force by the Government of Kenya to contain protesters’.
“Furthermore, we are troubled by instances of people in civilian clothes, others posing as police officers, carrying weapons and involved in policing protests, as there is no way to ascertain whether those carrying weapons are indeed police officers or armed militias. Such incidents put the country on a dangerous path that can only lead to anarchy and disruption of public order,” the LSK statement reads in part.
“Moreover, in recent days we have witnessed an increase in cases of citizens being arrested by law enforcement agencies in a secret manner, similar to abduction, and transferred to police stations and other unknown places outside the jurisdiction of their arrest, while being denied communication with their families or lawyers, contrary to the Constitution.
“Such acts remind us of the dark days of repression and criminalisation of thought and conscience. It is deeply regrettable that the authorities are acting in a manner that subverts the Constitution and undermines the rule of law, due process and fair treatment of accused persons under the Constitution.”
