Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has called for a three-day protest beginning next week, vowing to escalate anti-government demonstrations until their demands are met.
According to Sifuna, the tri-weekly protests will take place from Monday to Wednesday and will end only when President William Ruto agrees to review the contentious Finance Act 2023.
“From next week, three days straight of maandamano, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday until William Ruto understands the people are suffering and repeals this law the same way that he imposed it upon them,” he said.
Senator Sifuna warned on Citizen TV’s Daybreak show on Thursday that the government should listen to the demands of many Kenyans before they take the matter into their own hands.
“It’s better off when known people like Sifuna, Raila, Osotsi (Vihiga Senator), leading these demonstrations. The day Kenyans take this matter upon themselves there will be nobody to call on the table,” he said.
He also chastised the government for previously declaring that it would arrest Azimio leaders, claiming that they will not relent in their fight against the government and are willing to be apprehended for the same reason.
“Nobody is going to threaten us. There is nothing these people (Kenya Kwanza) have not said. There is nothing they can scare us with. If it is arrest we are ready to be arrested,” noted Sifuna.
He added: “They are all in agreement that we should arrest Raila. What the problem is that there is no one with the b*** in Kenya Kwanza to actually arrest Raila. You have said this thing for over a year now you know where Raila lives I can take you to his house today.”
“We want to tell Kenya Kwanza, walk the talk. Kenyans are angry and not at us but at the government because they do not want to listen.”
Sifuna recounted the aftermath of the mayhem witnessed during the protests on Wednesday, saying that scores were injured and some were even reported dead by locals from various areas in Nairobi.
“We haven’t slept in Nairobi many of our people were injured during the demonstrations, many have been nursing gunshot wounds,” he said.
“We have reports from Mathare, Embakasi, upwards of like 15 people lost their lives yesterday and it is quite disheartening to see my colleagues making jokes about this matter because those of us who have interacted with the victims of the police brutality yesterday we don’t see anything to laugh about.”
Clouds of smoke punctuated the atmosphere in many towns for the better part of Wednesday from bonfires lit by protesters and teargas canisters lobbed by the police.
Endless running battles between police and protesters occurred across the country, resulting in the deaths of nine people, including four in Mlolongo, two in Kitengela, and one in Emali in Makueni County, as well as scores of injuries.
The protests took place despite being pronounced illegal by the police for lack of notice.
However, Odinga asserted that they will not relent in the fight against the government, calling on President Ruto to give an ear to their demands lest the protests remain active.
Senator Edwin Sifuna: Kenya Kwanza cannot order the arrest of Raila Odinga. From next week, we will have three days straight of protests from Monday to Wednesday until President Ruto listens to Kenyans #DayBreak @TrevorOmbija pic.twitter.com/oknrrOFbGJ
