‘Azimio using rallies, protests to get into gov’t’ – Ngunjiri Wambugu
By Francis Muli, June 27, 2023
Former Nyeri Town MP Ngunjiri Wambugu has alleged that the Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya coalition party is using political rallies and protests in a bid to get influence in government.
In a statement on Tuesday, June 27, 2023, Wambugu said that the claim that the rallies and protests are about Kenyans’ welfare “is a lie”.
“The reality is that Azimio will keep calling poor innocent Kenyans to the street in protests or rallies, as it’s means of negotiating how to get influence over this government’s decisions. They want to be able to influence the finance bill, budget allocation, appointment, expenditure, position, domestic and foreign policy decisions, etc. Essentially they want to be part of the government,” Wambugu stated.
According to the former Jubilee Party legislator, Azimio is also looking to use the anti-government protests to negotiate perks for their leaders, protection of their businesses, and security for themselves and their families.
“Where possible they will even negotiate to get some of their own into government. Once that happens – even if the cost of living will have quadrupled – the call for ‘public barazas’, ‘maandamano’ ’product boycotts’, etc – will end. But until it happens – even if the cost of living comes down to zero – the calls for public agitation will continue,” he added.
Azimio protests
The statement by Wambugu comes at a time the opposition outfit is expected to launch an onslaught against the government, with a first public baraza scheduled for Tuesday at Kamukunji grounds.
Azimio leader Raila Odinga and other principals from constituent parties are expected to announce the outfit’s next cause of action after the bipartisan talks failed to bear fruits.
Azimio is also expected to address the passage of the Finance Bill 2023, which was assented into law by President William Ruto on Monday, June 26, 2023.
Raila had threatened to call his supporters back to the streets in case the Kenya Kwanza administration “bulldozed” its way in Parliament to pass the controversial bill.
In a statement, Azimio accused President Ruto of ignoring pleas by Kenyans, by assenting the Finance Bill into law.
“We also learnt the hard way that this illegitimate regime can ignore the people, their feelings, their fears, their circumstances, their hopes and aspirations and force its agenda on the people. That is what Ruto and his Kenya Kwanza followers did with the passage of the Finance Bill, 2023. Ignoring the wishes of a majority of Kenyans signals the era of dictatorship,” the statement read in part.
Azimio also castigated MPs who supported the bill which will see Kenyans dig deeper into their pockets to pay taxes, including the newly introduced Housing Levy.
“To all those MPs who knowingly supported a Bill that was overwhelmingly rejected by Kenyans, we say to you that the jury is out. The writing is on the wall for this regime,” Azimio added.