The calls for President William Ruto and Azimio Leader Raila Odinga to reach a truce are mounting, especially as the opposition, prepares for another round of protests scheduled for Wednesday.
Raila is leading the anti-government protests, primarily driven by the increasing cost of living, which he blames President Ruto for failing to address.
“Our peaceful, countrywide demonstrations will continue. We are serving notice to all the Officer Commanding Stations nationwide for the Wednesday peaceful demonstrations,” Usawa Kwa Wote Party Leader Mwangi Wa Iria said on July 22, 2023.
As the nation faces a fresh round of demonstrations, uncertainty looms, with President Ruto and Raila maintaining their uncompromising stances, disregarding calls for a truce.
Religious leaders and members of the international community in the country have been urging for talks, expressing concerns that the ongoing protests may lead to chaos and instability in the nation.
The National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK), Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB), and the Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims (SUPKEM) have been in fact pushing for dialogue which appears unheeded.
“What sense does it make to meet with people who are already committing acts of genocide?” Wiper leaders Kalonzo Musyoka posed.
Musyoka, a co-principal in the Azimio coalition, confirmed that he had indeed met with a group of diplomats who expressed their concerns about the nature of the demonstrations.
“They were very concerned that peaceful demos turned violent,” Musyoka said
In spite of the ongoing pressure, President Ruto has maintained his unwavering stance and openly declared his willingness to engage in discussions with the opposition solely focused on improving the lives of Kenyans, rather than pursuing a power-sharing agreement.
Raila, however, maintains he is not interested in a handshake with President Ruto, whom he believes the system to gain power.
– Subdued Protests –
The coalition held protests from July 19, 2023, continuing for three consecutive days until Friday. While the protests were active on Wednesday, they gradually fizzled out on Thursday and Friday, as Kenyans resumed their regular activities.
During the protests, Raila, who was suffering from flu, was absent and did not actively take part.
In a shift of strategy, the opposition has declared that they would hold subsequent protests once a week until the government addresses their demands.
Following his fifth defeat in the 2022 presidential election against President Ruto, Raila has organized multiple rounds of protests against the government since March 2023.
Raila’s loss to President Ruto was a close one, with a narrow margin of 200,000 votes separating the two candidates.
Despite his loss, Raila has been vigorously advocating for youth liberation by encouraging protests, making him a nightmare in President Ruto’s administration.
The former Prime Minister, however, remains adamant, asserting that President Ruto’s victory was a result of rigging orchestrated by the former Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Chairperson, Wafula Chebukati.
