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The stage appears set for a major confrontation between Azimio la Umoja supporters and the police after the coalition’s leader, Raila Odinga, vowed to press on with political rallies and protests to be held across the country today.

Raila’s move came on the back of a government declaration that the protests were illegal and had not been sanctioned by the police.

Yesterday, Raila said the resolve of his supporters to reclaim what he described as their “stolen election” was unstoppable and that they will stage a grand march to State House today. Police have, however, warned that any person trying to march towards protected areas will meet the full force of the law.

Raila said Kenyans were tired with a leadership that does not care about their plight and that time had come for them stand up for their rights.

“Kenyans are going through hard economic times; prices of basic commodities have skyrocketed, yet those who stole our victory are unable to cushion them,” he said.

Whereas the electoral commission declared William Ruto winner of the August presidential election and the Supreme Court upheld the outcome, Raila has claimed that he was rigged out.

“We know the authentic results. (IEBC chair Wafula) Chebukati and the two commissioners said that it is Ruto who won while the other four said that ‘Baba’ won.” It was three versus four. Between three and four, which is greater?” he asked.

The terms of all the commissioners expired this year when the term of the chairman and two commissioners ended, three resigned and one was removed from office on the recommendation of a tribunal. The process of reconstituting the commission started last month.

Yesterday, Raila protested that his demands for an all-inclusive recruitment of new commissioners had been ignored.

“This is the more reason we are going to converge in the CBD in Nairobi and then march to State House to reclaim our stolen victory,” he said.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki and the police have already declared this plan illegal, but Raila has vowed to go on with it.

On Saturday, he had said that Azimio supporters would not storm State House but would rather send representatives to hand over a petition to President William Ruto either at Harambee House or State House, Nairobi.

Public office

According to Raila, former Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya had informed the Inspector General of Police, Japheth Koome, about the planned protests across the country although police said the request had not met the required threshold.

“The Monday protest will be peaceful,” Raila said. “We are people who respect and know the law. Our Azimio official, Wycliffe Oparanya, wrote to the Inspector General of Police informing him that we will hold a protest in the CBD,” he reiterated.

According to him, Azimio has petitions it intends to present to various government officials, including President William Ruto.

While allaying fears that protestors might march on State House, which is a protected area, Raila said that constitutionally, State House is a public office that every Kenyan should be allowed to visit with or without restrictions. He said that if his team is denied entry, it will leave the message at the entrance.

“We are using our Constitution to get our rights as Kenyans,” Raila said at a church service in Ongata Rongai, Kajiado county. “The work of police is to protect the lives of Kenyans and their property and not to give a license. The era when police were issuing licenses for people to protest is long gone with the old Constitution. The police have been notified and we will not be intimidated or blackmailed by the police.”

He asked his supporters to carry out protests wherever they will be if they will be unable to join the main event in Nairobi.

“If you can come to Nairobi, come to Nairobi. We will show these cowards that Kenya is bigger than them,” he said.

He also criticised the government over high cost of living.

“The prices of commodities have really gone up yet the income has remained the same. This is the reason we told them to reduce the cost of basic commodities. He has refused with contempt,” said Raila.

According to him, during campaigns ahead of the August polls, Ruto and his running mate, Rigathi Gachagua, rode on the promise that they would make life bearable to the common citizen — the ‘Hustler’ — but since they were sworn in, they have betrayed the electorate and Kenyans.

“We are saying that Kenyans are suffering and a solution needs to be found. We also said that the issues affecting the electoral body should be handled in a bipartisan way involving both the majority and minority coalitions.”

Democratic Action Party leader Eugene Wamalwa claimed that President Ruto had forgotten about the common citizen, who he said has been bearing the pangs of poverty and high cost of living.

“We want him to hear the cries of his fellow Kenyans,” Wamalwa said. “We want the cost of living to reduce. Even if he has a heart of stone, we want him to hear the issues affecting Kenyans. We are marching in Nairobi and marching to State House”.

According to him, today’s protest is for all Kenyans.

“It is a march in defense of democracy. It is a march to tell this insensitive government that instead of misusing our billions of shillings, going to buy tractors in Belarus, buying members of political parties, giving cronies plum state jobs, we want them to listen to the voice of Kenyans,” said Wamalwa.