Azimio: Ruto is a heartless tyrant
Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya coalition party has renewed its attacks on President William Ruto and termed the Head of State a "heartless tyrant".
Led by Raila Odinga, the coalition has said they are going to launch what they termed a third liberation during a planned rally at Kamukunji Grounds. The opposition reaffirmed their hard-held stand that Ruto's administration is illegitimate.
Kamukunji meeting
"It is evident that we are dealing with a heartless tyrant who shows no regard for the people. We are determined to rectify this situation. Therefore, we are here to announce that our Kamukunji meeting will take place in Nairobi this Friday, as previously announced," Azimio said in a statement.
"However, this is not just a gathering in Nairobi; it is a nationwide Kamukunji where we will launch the Third Liberation. On Friday, July 2023, we will initiate signature collection campaigns to express our rejection of the illegitimate Kenya Kwanza regime and its punitive tax policies."
Odinga and his allies - Kalonzo Musyoka, Eugene Wamalwa, Mwangi wa Iria, and Martha Karua - also reiterated their position on the Finance Act 2023 and called out Ruto after his government removed subsidies on essential products.
"Ruto is imposing taxes without our consent and implementing laws that only make our lives more difficult. We cannot tolerate the current state of taxation and its accompanying injustices any longer. Ruto has even removed subsidies on essential goods like fuel, Unga (maize flour), electricity, and school fees, while providing subsidies to helicopter owners and financing the lavish lifestyles of his allies with our hard-earned money," the opposition outfit added.
"As we speak, the prices of fuel, food, and transportation are skyrocketing. In fact, fare has already increased by 30 per cent. We refuse to suffer in silence. We do not bow down to dictators and beg for mercy. Even those who do still face humiliation and even death. So, we fight." 
Call against violence
To push their agenda, the opposition called for their supporters to unite as they plan further protests. However, in doing so, they called for adherence to the principle of nonviolence.
"Violence is abhorrent to us. Our engagement in pickets, protests, tax boycotts, and civil disobedience does not advocate violence. We have never endorsed violence in the past, and we never will. We firmly believe in the law and the rule of law, and we will act within its boundaries," Azimio added.
"Our sole weapon is our sovereign power to protest, boycott, and engage in civil disobedience. We exercise this power starting on Friday, July 7."
"We are not wrong. By resorting to civil disobedience and protests, we cannot be wrong unless the law itself is wrong. The same law that establishes the government and its institutions, such as Parliament, the courts, and the police, also permits us to protest, picket, boycott, and present petitions. We are within our rights, and we refuse to be intimidated." 
Azimio has planned their protests to coincide with July 7, famously known as 'Saba Saba', which is a historic day in the political calendar of the country. On July 7, 1990, Kenya witnessed widespread national protests against Daniel Moi's government.
Then, the members of the opposition were calling for the introduction of a multiparty system and widespread reformation of the political system in the country.
