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President William Ruto has apologised to the Eastleigh business community whose businesses were destroyed during Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya coalition party anti-government protests.

Speaking on Wednesday, April 12, 2023, Ruto expressed optimism that bipartisan talks in parliament would bear fruits and end extreme antagonism between the government and the opposition.

“I’m sorry. I heard my friend (Raila Odinga) came to your place and held protests alongside people who stole from you and destroyed property. I want to assure you that God has helped us and we have ended all that. We have agreed to have talks in Parliament and agree to move on. Let us stop violence, fights and move on as Kenyans,” Ruto said.

Ruto’s urge to Eastleigh business community

“I agree with you that in an environment of violence and chaos businesses get affected, development gets undermined and progress is put in jeopardy. We must all work together towards a peaceful nation working together in the right direction in unity of purpose as a nation,” he added.

This comes even as Azimio announced the return of town hall meetings and public rallies, a week after suspending anti-government demonstrations to engage in bipartisan talks with the Kenya Kwanza government.

In a statement issued moments after the Kenya Kwanza team unveiled a seven-member parliamentary team to engage the opposition in bipartisan talks, Azimio Executive Council chair Wycliffe Oparanya said the purpose of the town hall meetings and public barazas is to enable the party explain to the people the next course of action following the suspension of protests.

The coalition is set to hold its first town hall meeting in Nairobi on Thursday, April 13, 2023.

The meeting will be followed by a public rally dubbed People’s Baraza at the Kamukunji Grounds on Sunday, April 16, 2023.