‘We are not fíghtíng for any man or womán to have power in Kenya’ – Kioni

Jubilee Secretary-General Jeremiah Kioni has clarified that the anti-government protests by the opposition in a bid to pile pressure on President William Ruto’s administration are not in any way motivated by a thirst for power.

Taking to his official Twitter account, Kioni asserted that the fight is to address the cost of living so that Kenyans can survive the lean times.

He affirmed that the Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya coalition will not let its guard down and that it will continue fighting for the rights of Kenyans despite the obstacles they endure.

“We are not fighting for any man or woman to have power in Kenya. We are fighting for life. The ability to feed your children. The ability to attend school. The ability to express your opinions without fear of reprisal. The ability to grow wealth.

“Death is the enemy. The First enemy and the last. We shall die one day. But in the time given to us by God, we in Azimio will fight for Kenyans despite the pain and despair we endure.

“To defend the Defenseless. To be the voice of the voiceless. We are the shields that guard the livelihoods of Kenyans,” he stated.

We are NOT fighting for any man or woman to have power in Kenya.

We are fighting for LIFE. The ability to feed your children. The ability to attend school. The ability to express your opinions without fear of reprisal. The ability to grow wealth.

DEATH is the ENEMY. The First… pic.twitter.com/I8EExP36ff

— Hon. Jeremiah Kioni (@HonKioni) April 4, 2023

Kioni’s remarks

Kioni’s remarks come in the wake of proposals and negotiations between the government and the opposition.

On Sunday, April 2, 2023, President William Ruto proposed bipartisan talks to resolve the issues raised by the opposition. Subsequently, opposition leader Raila Odinga called off the bi-weekly demonstrations that had been ongoing for the last two weeks.

However, on Tuesday, April 4, 2023, Raila and other leaders allied to Azimio asserted that the parliamentary process proposed by the president was not an effective way of addressing their grievances.

They instead called for dialogue similar to the 2008 National Accord facilitated by UN Secretary General Koffi Annan.

Before Ruto’s proposal, the opposition had planned anti-government protests in a move to push the government to meet their demands. Among them, the opening of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) servers, the cost of living and the reconstitution of the IEBC among others.