Oparanya leads Azimio protests in Busia
Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) deputy party leader Wycliffe Oparanya led anti-government protests in Busia County on Wednesday, July 12, 2023.
The protests have been planned by the opposition to air their grievances against the Kenya Kwanza government.
Oparanya and a number of Members of Parliament (MPs) as well as former presidential hopeful George Wajackoya, were in the border town to lead the demonstrations.
Protests rock towns
The Azimio La Umoja-One Kenya coalition has staged protests across several towns in the country, and their supporters have clashed with police in the process.
Coalition leader Raila Odinga is expected at the Kamukunji Grounds on Wednesday to lead the Nairobi protests.
Nairobi has been the epicentre of the opposition demonstrations, and supporters have always clashed with the police in the process.
Earlier, protesters were dispersed by anti-riot police officers in Nairobi. The demonstrators had blocked major roads in the city, including the Mombasa-Nairobi highway.
Along the busy Mombasa-Nairobi Highway, a major showdown between the police and the civilians was witnessed at Emali Town. 
The opposition's anti-government demonstrations have gone on despite a warning from the police on Tuesday, July 11, that such demonstrations would not be allowed.
"It has come to the attention of the National Police Service through the media, about groups/persons that are planning to hold public demonstrations/protests/gatherings across the country, on Wednesday, July 12, 2023," the Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome stated when he declared the protests will not be allowed.
"Consequently, and in the interest of national security, the National Police Service wishes to inform the public that in the absence of notifications by planners of any demonstrations as a legal prerequisite to enable Police to provide adequate security to demonstrators and the public, police have no other option but to take necessary measures to disperse all illegal demonstrations."
The opposition has raised a number of issues against William Ruto's government, and the top of them is the high cost of living as well as the recently passed and assented Finance Bill 2023.
Signature drive
On July 7, Odinga, while leading the Saba Saba rallies, declared that they would collect 10 million signatures in their bid to oust Ruto from power. The Azimio coalition claimed that the signatures collected by Tuesday stood at 1.2 million.
"We take this early opportunity to thank the 1.2 million people who have signed so far. We appeal to more people to come out and append their signatures to this historic undertaking," a statement by the opposition said. 
While protesting, deaths and injuries on the part of civilians have been reported, and Azimio vowed to take legal action against police officers who hurt their supporters.
"We intend to move to court and institute prosecution against individual officers who are involved in unconstitutional and illegal actions against protesters in the course of our activities.
"Our activities are protected by the Constitution. By resorting to civil disobedience and protests, we can’t be wrong unless the law itself is wrong. Kenyans must never be made to believe that they are wrong when they protest," the opposition declared.
