Whereas it goes without saying Kenyans have the freedom to picket and demonstrate, it is also true that the right ought not to trump the well-being of those seeking to eke out a living and go on with their businesses. This is a thin line that it will be tricky for the government on the one hand and Azimio leaders on the other to navigate given that Azimio intends to hold two countrywide demos every week and the police are adamant that none will be allowed.

Tellingly, both government and Azimio are, at the end of the day, saying the same thing—they both want the cost of living to come down. What differs for them is not the message but the means to achieving the goal of making life affordable for all citizens who are hurting economically at so many levels. One of the age-old debates about human rights, and which cannot be resolved in the foreseeable future, is how to balance between freedom and responsibility, which are two sides of the same coin. For instance, whereas Azimio supporters are allowed by law to demonstrate, they have a responsibility to ensure they do not interfere with the freedoms and rights of those who are unwilling to join them or who do not necessarily share their views. Similarly, whereas the police have a responsibility to uphold the law and protect lives and property during demos, they are also required by law to uphold human rights.

Now that the two competing interests are set for a clash today and on Thursday, it is important for all sides to act judiciously, first to protect the lives of protestors and any innocent bystander who might be caught up in the demos, and also to ensure the actions undertaken today do not undermine the economy over the short term. There is a serious danger of sectors such as tourism slumping again if the weekly protests go on for too long. Again, there is also the risk of the demonstrators sliding lower into poverty because they will be using productive labour time to take part in political activities that generate no income. 

The question that needs to be urgently addressed is whether their push for political rights trumps their economic wellbeing or whether it is possible for them to strike a fine balance on the two. This is an important question if we are to prevent the active demonstrators from resorting to crimes such as looting and muggings to make ends meet. In the end, a way must be found to balance between political activity and economic progression. Without one, the other collapses.