‘Dialogue between Azimio and Kenya Kwanza must end by October 30’ – Raila says

Azimio la Umoja - One Kenya coalition leader Raila Odinga has insisted that the dialogue between Azimio and Kenya Kwanza must end by October 30, 2023, or else the opposition will embark on a strategy that ruins the operations of the ruling government.

Speaking during the burial of one David Omondi Oswayo, a victim of police brutality during the opposition's protests, Raila warned the government that the collapse of the dialogue would plunge the country into an ungovernable state.

"We have given the ruling government up to October 30, 2023, to engage us in constructive talks that will restore sanity in the country," Raila said adding that if nothing reasonable comes out of the talks, they will embark on a massive demonstration in September.

Raila asked the State to accept dialogue without any conditions as that would ensure smooth talks that would lead to a consensus that will benefit both parties.

"It is so unfortunate that Ruto has revised tactics to silence Azimio and its leadership by ending the lives of the Luo Community with bullets but that is not deterring or stopping us from agitating for the rights of our people.

"Ending the lives of Luos who are demonstrating peacefully by police is not ending the fight yet. It is strengthening us to fight more for the tribes in this country to be respected," he stated.

The former prime minister also warned that the Azimio coalition will opt for a retaliatory strategy including firing back at the police if the talks collapse and the coalition resumes street protests.

He, at the same time, vowed to push for the prosecution of irresponsible police officers who ended the lives of innocent Kenyans demonstrating against the high cost of living.

"We have gathered pieces of evidence of the police that allegedly killed our people. We have their numbers and photos. When we had talks with Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, we told him that what we witnessed in the demonstrations was like a cinema or movie where police were removing the Luo people from their houses and torturing them," he stated.

"It is so unfortunate that most of the police who are sharpshooters were sent to Nyanza regions this was ethnic profiling of Luos and it must stop. We have adequate lawyers to deal with those who defied the law and will start by petitioning the assembly to deal with the matter before extending the petitions to the ICC, and East African region," Raila added.

Further, the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader rubbished Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua's remarks that the country is run by shareholders.

"Rigathi must know that Kenya is not a company run by shareholders. if he insists that those with big shares own it then who are those that have few shares? All Kenyans are shareholders by tax payment," he stated.

"In case some people in this country are not shareholders then what are they doing in this country, let them leave this country then. We are not ready to back down, despite the frustrations we shall soldier on, they can kill a few but not all of us," he added.

Rarieda Member of Parliament (MP) Otiende Amollo assured the crowd that the deaths of the victims of protests will not go in vain.

"Already the Law Society of Kenya, Amnesty and a battery of 300 lawyers, are going to sue these police officers," he stated.