Raila Odinga, the Azimio leader, has offered a blistering condemnation to the government’s handling of protesters, calling on it to delay the Finance Bill.
Raila made strong remarks accusing the government of killing and using brutality against nonviolent protestors.
Without holding back, Raila stated that the nation is paying a “heavy price for the obstinacy” of the government.
He conveyed his profound concern over the brutal suppression of youth demonstrators calling for adjustments to tax laws; in his opinion, these issues ought to have been settled through discussion.
“Matters that should have been resolved through dialogue and humility have degenerated into developments that have never been witnessed in the 61-year history of our country since Independence,” he continued.
Raila’s words came after at least five people were killed in clashes between demonstrators and the police.
Raila expressed her displeasure with the killings, detentions, arrests, and surveillance carried out by the police against youths who are merely trying to get their voices heard against tax laws that are robbing them of their future and present.
Using murders, arrests, and detentions that occurred during the protests as evidence, he further criticized the government for what he described as the purported suspension of constitutional rights.
“The constitution seems to have been suspended. We cannot allow that. The government has unleashed brute force on our country’s children and more seems to be on the way,” he noted.
He reaffirmed his demand that the Finance Bill 2024 be put on hold, pointing out that the protesters’ complaints and annoyances are quite extensive and profound.
“Police must therefore immediately stop shooting innocent, peaceful and unarmed protesting children who are asking for guarantees of a better tomorrow from the State.”
He emphasized that comparable obstacles in the past were settled through communication and urged the government to hold fruitful talks.
“The starting point to ending this impasse and cruel bloodletting is for the government to immediately and unconditionally withdraw the Finance Bill and make way for a fresh start and dialogue.”
He made a plea to regional and international organizations, such as the United Nations, the African Union, and the East African Community, to step in and resolve what he called a crisis that was putting lives and freedoms in jeopardy in Kenya.
“I am calling on the East African Community, the African Union and the United Nations to immediately be seized of the unfolding situation in Kenya to save lives and the country.”
