Azimio should step back, protests are not working
After a disastrous outing during last week’s protests, Azimio has doubled down and called for fresh demos. After missing—some cynics say hiding— for three days, Azimio bigwigs came out at the weekend to declare fresh protests this week at a press conference by Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka.
A recap is in order. For days leading to the protests of last week, Kenyans were threatened with Armaggedon scenarios by Azimio and its acolytes. The country was informed that these protests, also known as maandamano, would be a gamechanger, a cataclysmic event that would consume the country and either force the “recalcitrant “President William Ruto to knuckle down to opposition demands, or even be pushed out altogether.
None of this came to pass. Instead, after the first day of protests, they completely fizzled out by the second day. Kenyans went back to their daily businesses even as Azimio put on a brave face over the protests. In other words, the maandamano simply collapsed.
Nobody buys that ‘peaceful demonstrations’ story any more. The whole world has seen what maandamano means for Azimio. Indeed, the conduct of the protests directly correlate with the belligerence and threats of the organisers.
What was most shocking was that after inciting young men in their strongholds to come out and confront the police, the Azimio leaders all disappeared. Not a single one of them was seen the entire period. They all had one reason or another—cynics say excuses.
It is a real crying shame for Azimio bigwigs to come out from their hideouts when the fire they lit had been doused, and when many of the supporters they had incited to come disrupt the lives of others either lay dead, or seriously injured in hospitals, for further incitement.
Nobody even knows the whereabouts of Azimio leader, Raila Odinga, who the media said was at an undisclosed location. Undisclosed location when his supporters who poured out into the streets at his urging are dying and being injured? The mind boggles! His deputy, Martha Karua, continues to issue statements from the safety of her home.
Why would anybody who intends to hold peaceful demonstrations threaten others with fire and brimstone. Further, it is now clear that somebody somewhere switches violence on and off on their whims. When Raila spent a day in Nairobi’s Central Business District mingling with crowds, not a single stone was thrown, or shop closed, or anybody menaced.
Kalonzo, please stop sending young men back into the theatre of death and destruction. It’s unconscionable and disgraceful, especially now that for the last two maandamanos you stayed away in the safety of your homes.
Clearly, the Government is not budging. The protests are not working. It is time for Azimio to step back, take a deep breathe, and take stock of this strategy of street protests. It has reached its zenith.
What now?
The country still faces an economic crisis. The cost of living is still too high. But these are being addressed by the Government. Give them time, just like the Handshake Government was given room to implement its economic agenda over five years without being distracted by disruptive maandamanos.
Kenyans will give their verdict on how the Kenya Kwanza government has performed in August 2027, just like they rendered a verdict on the Handshake government last August 2022.
However, inclusion issues need to be addressed and managed. The demos, paradoxically, have only served to strengthen the Government’s hand, and severely weakened the opposition.
The Government must use this space, not to further weaken the opposition, but to actually strengthen it. The President has stated time and again he wants a strong, loyal opposition.
Move that agenda to Parliament and establish the position of the leader of the Official opposition. Invite Azimio back to the bipartisan talks if for nothing else, to resolve the very urgent matter of reconstituting the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC). People, enough of drama.
The country needs to get back to work!
After a disastrous outing during last week’s protests, Azimio has doubled down and called for fresh demos. After missing—some cynics say hiding— for three days, Azimio bigwigs came out at the weekend to declare fresh protests this week at a press conference by Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka.
A recap is in order. For days leading to the protests of last week, Kenyans were threatened with Armaggedon scenarios by Azimio and its acolytes. The country was informed that these protests, also known as maandamano, would be a gamechanger, a cataclysmic event that would consume the country and either force the “recalcitrant “President William Ruto to knuckle down to opposition demands, or even be pushed out altogether.
None of this came to pass. Instead, after the first day of protests, they completely fizzled out by the second day. Kenyans went back to their daily businesses even as Azimio put on a brave face over the protests. In other words, the maandamano simply collapsed.
Nobody buys that ‘peaceful demonstrations’ story any more. The whole world has seen what maandamano means for Azimio. Indeed, the conduct of the protests directly correlate with the belligerence and threats of the organisers.
What was most shocking was that after inciting young men in their strongholds to come out and confront the police, the Azimio leaders all disappeared. Not a single one of them was seen the entire period. They all had one reason or another—cynics say excuses.
It is a real crying shame for Azimio bigwigs to come out from their hideouts when the fire they lit had been doused, and when many of the supporters they had incited to come disrupt the lives of others either lay dead, or seriously injured in hospitals, for further incitement.
Nobody even knows the whereabouts of Azimio leader, Raila Odinga, who the media said was at an undisclosed location. Undisclosed location when his supporters who poured out into the streets at his urging are dying and being injured? The mind boggles! His deputy, Martha Karua, continues to issue statements from the safety of her home.
Why would anybody who intends to hold peaceful demonstrations threaten others with fire and brimstone. Further, it is now clear that somebody somewhere switches violence on and off on their whims. When Raila spent a day in Nairobi’s Central Business District mingling with crowds, not a single stone was thrown, or shop closed, or anybody menaced.
Kalonzo, please stop sending young men back into the theatre of death and destruction. It’s unconscionable and disgraceful, especially now that for the last two maandamanos you stayed away in the safety of your homes.
Clearly, the Government is not budging. The protests are not working. It is time for Azimio to step back, take a deep breathe, and take stock of this strategy of street protests. It has reached its zenith.
What now?
The country still faces an economic crisis. The cost of living is still too high. But these are being addressed by the Government. Give them time, just like the Handshake Government was given room to implement its economic agenda over five years without being distracted by disruptive maandamanos.
Kenyans will give their verdict on how the Kenya Kwanza government has performed in August 2027, just like they rendered a verdict on the Handshake government last August 2022.
However, inclusion issues need to be addressed and managed. The demos, paradoxically, have only served to strengthen the Government’s hand, and severely weakened the opposition.
The Government must use this space, not to further weaken the opposition, but to actually strengthen it. The President has stated time and again he wants a strong, loyal opposition.
Move that agenda to Parliament and establish the position of the leader of the Official opposition. Invite Azimio back to the bipartisan talks if for nothing else, to resolve the very urgent matter of reconstituting the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC). People, enough of drama.
The country needs to get back to work!
