‘We’re ready for mass action’ – Jubilee SG Kioni endorses Raila’s protest call

Embattled Jubilee Secretary General Jeremiah Kioni has endorsed opposition leader Raila Odinga’s calls for mass action, saying the party is ready for the nationwide demonstrations.

Speaking at a press conference at the new Jubilee headquarters in Kileleshwa, Nairobi, on Tuesday, March 7, Kioni said members of the former ruling party are waiting for Raila’s direction as the 14-day ultimatum issued to the government lapses on Wednesday.

“We are waiting for the end of the ultimatum, we have two days to go. I can assure you that we are on course. When the call for us to join others is made by Raila in the course of the period that he will we will be there,” Kioni said during the press conference attended by a group of Persons With Disabilities (PWDs).

Kioni claimed that the Kenya Kwanza administration had neglected PWDs, who, according to him, would have benefited from Raila’s proposed social protection program.

“Remember we had some Ksh6,000 we had promised the most vulnerable families. We had promised free education for everybody from primary all the way to university and these are things that are doable because they had been thought through by people who understand our economics,” Kioni, who is facing a rebellion from a section of the Jubilee party leadership, said.

“Today as we sit here we are dealing with people who have formed a company that has taken everything including threatening the media,” he added while responding to Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s remarks that the government is a company where some people have more shares than others.

Last month, Raila gave President William Ruto’s administration 14 days to lower the cost of living failure to which the opposition will call for mass protests across the country to force the Kenya Kwanza administration to take action.

Speaking during the opposition’s prayer rally at Jevanjee Gardens in Nairobi on February 22, Raila said high taxes imposed by the Kenya Kwanza administration have seen prices of basic commodities hit the roof.

He also attributed the high cost of living to President William Ruto’s move to remove food and fuel subsidies introduced by his predecessor Uhuru Kenyatta to cushion the citizenry.

Raila said the move to withdraw the subsidies in the middle of drought and famine was reckless and heartless and demanded reinstatement within two weeks.

“If these demands are not heeded within fourteen days, we shall lead Kenyans to massive mass action across the country to take their power back and restore sanity,” he warned.