Azimio la Umoja leader Raila Odinga on Wednesday maintained the second of this week’s demonstrations would go on despite Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s and CS Kithure Kindiki’s warning that they will be crushed.

Speaking after meeting a delegation of Catholic bishops led by Nairobi Archbishop Philip Anyolo, Raila said the Thursday demos would go on as planned. He also overruled Kisumu Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o who had said residents of the lakeside city would not hold protests today.

“There was an announcement by Nyong’o that he had cancelled the demonstrations in Kisumu; we have talked to him and he has actually asked us to announce that the demonstrations in Kisumu will be there just like the rest of the country,” Raila said. “We want these demonstrations to be peaceful. We are invoking provisions of Article 37 of the Constitution. These demonstrations must be peaceful and we also urge those who are planning to try to disrupt them to desist from doing so.”

He was with other Azimio leaders including Wiper’s Kalonzo Musyoka, his Narc Kenya counterpart Martha Karua and NAP-K’s Eugene Wamalwa.

But in a tough statement sent to People Daily on Wednesday evening, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kindiki accused protesters of engaging in “seriously violent, chaotic and disorderly conduct” that endangers national security.

“In Kisumu, private properties were looted and others burnt down,” he said and enumerated hotels, supermarkets, homes and a market that had borne the brunt of the violent protests in which one demonstrator was shot dead.

“The unfolding situation portends grave danger to the rule of law and the stability of our country. The violence, looting, destruction of public amenities, disruption of daily activities and invasion of private property portend real and imminent danger of our country sliding into irretrievable anarchy,” the CS in charge of internal security said, setting the tone for a ban on the protests. “Only firm enforcement of the law stands between us and lawlessness and full-blown chaos.”

And then he delivered the clincher.

“No more violent protests shall be allowed anywhere in Kenya. With or without notices, demonstrations and protests of any type which injures people, security officers, businesses and property shall be prevented at all costs.”

Earlier in the day, Governor Nyong’o had also announced that he had suspended indefinitely the demonstrations in Kisumu county following consultations with Azimio’s national leadership.

“All public demonstrations within Kisumu county have from today been suspended indefinitely so that we can join the demonstrations in Nairobi,” he had said before Raila overturned the decision.

Nyong’o’s press statement attracted the ire of Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja, who lambasted Nyong’o for seeking to “export” demos to Nairobi.

Envoys message

In a rejoinder titled “Return to Sender”, Sakaja asked Nyong’o to confine the destruction caused by demonstrators to Kisumu. Sakaja regretted that Nairobi County had already hosted two of those demonstrations and borne the cost of the disruptions, warning that he would no longer allow them to be held in the capital city.

“The Governor of Kisumu’s idea that he can export his demonstrations to Nairobi and make our County the capital of demonstrations and associated mayhem is preposterous and totally unacceptable. In the spirit of devolution, I would advice the Governor of Kisumu, Prof Anyang’ Nyong’o’, to keep his demonstrations to his County,” he said

Suna West MP Peter Masara and Ugunja MP Opiyo Wandayi had also threatened to ignore Nyong’o’s directive and hold demos in the region, insisting that no one had powers to stop mass action called by Raila.

“Until Raila says no to mass action, we shall soldier on,” Wandayi said.

However, in a joint statement, ambassadors and high commissioners from Australia, Canada, Denmark, The Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States expressed concern over the demonstrations and appealed to all leaders to maintain peace.

“Kenya has rightfully earned a reputation as an anchor of stability, security and democracy in Africa and beyond. We agree with the Africa Union Commission (AUC) Chairperson in recalling the successful conduct of the general elections in 2022, and the unanimous confirmation of their results by the Supreme Court,” they noted.

“As friends and partners to Kenya, we are deeply concerned by the recent unrest and violence as well as the destruction of places of worship and private property. It is also damaging economic activity at a time of significant financial challenges,” the envoys said, breaking their silence a day after Raila accused them of failing to speak out.

“We recognise the right to peaceful protest under Kenya’s Constitution. All actors also have a responsibility to adhere to the principles of democracy, freedom and the rule of law. We welcome the commitment by the Inspector General of Police to launch an investigation into recent events, including the destruction of private property. We, therefore, call on all leaders and all Kenyans to maintain peace, show restraint and work toward a swift resolution for the common good of Kenya,” they said.

Share power

Earlier in the day, while speaking in Nyeri, Deputy President Gachagua warned that the government would not allow protests, saying these were meant to blackmail the government into a “handshake”.

He said the destruction of property during the protests was meant to intimidate him and President Ruto to agree to dialogue and share eventually share power.

The DP was speaking at Kangocho Secondary School in Mathira, Nyeri, where he handed over a bus to the institution.

“I want to say here in Nyeri, the land of freedom fighters, that it is not possible for him to come to the government through the backdoor. There are no constitutional provisions whatsoever to bring Raila Odinga into government. He has brought violence and destruction of property so as to intimidate President Ruto and I to bring him into government,” Gachagua said.

He urged business owners to open up the businesses today, guaranteeing them adequate security from the government. He said security measures have been put in place to safeguard life and property.

“We will be there and we have planned well. Let traders open up their businesses and there will be no problem. Our people should continue working hard,” Gachagua said. “The government has made elaborate and adequate arrangements to protect life and property of all Kenyans. As you plan to hold demonstrations, know that the government will protect life and property in Nairobi and other towns.”

Electoral reforms

Speaking earlier, Raila claimed that some elements within Kenya Kwanza were planning to cause mayhem during today’s demos and disrupt the protests.

“We will still continue with our demonstrations. I know they have been having a meeting in Gachagua’s residence with the likes of Kimani Ichung’wah and they are planning a plot again. We can see them and what they are planning and it doesn’t take me even five minutes before I know what’s happening,” said Raila in Kibra.

He also said that it would be futile for the nation to head to the 2027 polls and expect a tamper-proof election if the government will not engage in electoral reforms.

Raila’s third round of protests comes against a backdrop of counter accusations between Azimio and Kenya Kwanza Alliance over the invasions of the Northlands Farm in Ruiru owned by retired President Uhuru Kenyatta’s family, and the East Africa Spectre Ltd, associated with Raila’s family.

Meanwhile, Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has been accused of taking part in an unlawful assembly after he was questioned by officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations. He was released on bail pending the hearing of his case.

— Reporting by Rawlings Otieno, Eric Juma, Noven Owiti, Kepher Otieno and Mercy Mwai