Raila Odinga set to lead anti-Ruto rally in Mombasa

ODM leader Raila Odinga is expected to jet into Mombasa on Saturday, March 11, 2023 evening, ahead of a scheduled mega public rally at Caltex grounds in Likoni on Sunday, March 12, 2023.

Mombasa County ODM’s Secretary General Geoffrey Busaka said the ground is ripe for Raila’s mega rally, promising an earthshaking moment.

“We are here to affirm that Mombasa has been and remains an ODM and Azimio stronghold …we invite all Kenyans who are feeling the oppression by the government to turn out in large numbers and listen to a message of hope from our leaders,” Busaka said on Friday.

The leaders who addressed the press at the Treasury square outside the Mombasa County Assembly buildings referred to Raila as “The fifth president” of Kenya on grounds that they believe that his victory was “stolen.”

While noting that they acknowledge that there is a sitting president holding based on the constitution and law, the ODM leadership said they are questioning the legitimacy of the president.

“We believe that our leader’s votes were stolen and therefore the will of the people was subverted…we believe that the legitimate president ought to have been Raila Amollo Odinga and we are therefore ready for mass action,” the ODM Secretary General explained.

Regarding the planned Mass Action, he promised that it will be a well-coordinated peaceful process and therefore called for the cooperation of the security apparatus.

“We don’t want anybody to misconstrue the mass action for chaos accompanied by looting, or a plan to hurt anybody. We will follow all the required procedures. We shall notify the police on the date and the routes and we, therefore, expect the police to provide us with security and protection so that no one gets hurt,” Busaka said while warning the authorities against deliberately provoking the protestors.

With the escalating cost of living, he said the only voice that can give hope to despairing Kenyans is that of “Raila Amolo Odinga.”

“We believe that if Kenyans show up and listen to his voice of reason and participate in the mass action to stress their concerns about the daily challenges, the government will definitely listen. And if the government fails to listen then the people will make a decision because the supreme power of the people is with them,” the ODM official reckoned.

A youth leader in ODM Zubeida Mikwara said the youth are ready for mass action assuring that youth will not engage in violence.

Similar sentiments were shared by Mombasa Women leader in ODM Nuru Ramadhan who accused President William Ruto’s administration of playing deaf and blind to the plight of “Mama Mboga” openly breaching his campaign promise.