Listen to This Article Enhance your reading experience by listening to this article.

President William Ruto’s censure of top government officials and security chiefs over the manner in which they handled the last two Azimio la Umoja protests was the reason behind yesterday’s change of strategy that allowed Raila Odinga and his allies to address crowds in the outskirts of the city.

Unlike in the last two demonstrations of March 20 and 27, during which riot police trailed the ODM leader Raila Odinga as he made his way around the city, lobbing tear gas canisters to prevent him from addressing supporters, yesterday the security officers appeared retrained for much of the day and watched from a distance as Raila and his allies addressed supporters at various stops before violence broke out later in the evening as the convoy tried to make its way onto Outer Ring Road.

Sources told People Daily that President Ruto was of the opinion that the government was falling into the hands of the opposition by curtailing them from holding the demonstrations. He is also understood to have censured some of his allies who have been accused of targeting retired President Uhuru Kenyatta. According to the sources, the President was unhappy that this was opening another warfront altogether.

Military uniform

On Wednesday, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki had cautioned Azimio against participating in violent demonstrations saying the police would prevent them at “all costs”.

“No more violent protests shall be allowed anywhere in Kenya. With or without notices, demonstrations and protests of any type which injure people, security officers, businesses and property shall be prevented at all costs,” Kindiki had warned.

He also outlawed the Movement for Defence of Democracy (MDD)’s decision to don military like uniforms. Kindiki said this amounted to a breach the Public Order law.

“Those wearing such uniforms, dresses or emblems must cease and desist immediately. I shall be issuing policy directives to the IG (Inspector-General of Police), which directives shall take effect on March 31, 2023,” said the CS.

But come yesterday, Raila’s team, anticipating a major showdown with riot police, was caught flat-footed as the security chiefs allowed them to address crowds in Imara Daima, Mukuru kwa Njenga and Pipeline in Embakasi South without disrupting them.

The change of strategy also saw the government beef up security at the homes and property owned by the Kenyatta family following the Monday incident in which goons raided the Kenyatta family’s Northlands farm and looted property and burned down trees.

Save for some incidents in the morning at Kedong ranch at the border of Narok and Nakuru counties, where a group of rowdy youths attempted to destroy the fence of a property belonging to the Kenyattas, all other places owned by the family remained calm.

Officials censured

Narok East Sub-County Police Commander Jared Marando said police on patrol came across a group of about 150 men armed with rungus and swords near the Ketraco junction on the Narok-Maai Mahiu road.

“It was established that there were two groups who were in dispute over money collected from lorries after the sale of sand,” said Marando after his officers had dispersed the group.

Ruto — who returned from his tour of Germany and Belgium yesterday morning — appeared to downplay the effects of the demonstrations as he went about with his business in the city.

The President attended the American Chamber of Commerce Summit at the Ole Sereni hotel, only a stone throw away from Imara Daima, where Raila had addressed his first rally of the day.

Sources said that upon arrival, the President censured top government and security bosses over the manner in which they had handled the first two protests, which appeared to give Raila and his team some mileage.

The President is also said to have expressed his displeasure with the police bosses over their inaction during the alleged raid at Northlands. He is reported to have demanded that investigations be carried out and decisive action taken against those responsible for the attack on property.

As the President was meeting his team, a defiant Raila was leading his supporters in protests, saying, at various stops that the twice-weekly demos would go on despite the State declaring them unlawful.

Nairobi Regional Police boss Adamson Bungei told People Daily that he and his officers had decided to change strategy by restraining themselves and ensuring that officers on the ground did not provoke protesters.

“As long as they were not in the Central Business District (CBD) and they held their protests peacefully, we had no problem with them. They can protest in all the city outskirts,” said Bungei.

Law changes

While speaking in Imara Daima, Raila said the protests will persist until the issues affecting Kenyans, such as the high cost of living, were addressed by the State. And yesterday, for the first time, he also said he would lead a push to change the Constitution. He, however, did not give details.

“We are not mad people. We are not fools. We are patriotic Kenyans who want to free the country and Kenyans not be oppressed. We also want some changes in law and also the IEBC server be opened,” he said.

Yesterday’s third edition of the protest witnessed minimal police interference in the early part, unlike the past ones where the demonstrators clashed with the police officers.

Police only intervened when the motorcade tried to make its way to Outer Ring Road, which would have led the protesters to the CBD.

“Even if you put 1,000 police officers, Azimio will go on with their protest. We will not be intimidated. We are bringing the voice of salvation to a regime that is dictatorial, uncaring, insensitive to the plight of Kenyans. The prices of the basic commodities must come down. The price of fuel must come down,” said Raila.

Handshake senator

He also insisted that the ongoing recruitment of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chairman and commissioners should be stopped.

In Nyanza, some protesters lit fires in the middle of the roads to disrupt the flow of traffic along the Kisumu-Kakamega route. They also torched a UDA office and raided a supermarket, engaging in looting.

Raila led the protests despite the United States push for talks between him and the President.

On Wednesday, the US Senator for Delaware, Christopher Coons, who has been linked to past efforts to broker a truce in Kenya, separately met Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and later Raila.Yesterday, Gachagua said that although the government was willing to engage in talks with Raila, he will not be allowed to join the Ruto administration.

“The only way into government is through the ballot,” Gachagua said.

He accused Raila of seeking to blackmail Ruto into talks to join the government.