Security has been heightened around State Houses in Nairobi and Kisumu following the lapse of a 14-day ultimatum by Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition Party leaders.
Opposition leader Raila Odinga had demanded that the government deals with the rising cost of living or face mass action across the country.
Police officers on Wednesday erected roadblocks on major roads leading to the residences, a situation that is expected to be witnessed in the coming days.
Azimio leaders who held a meeting at Chungwa House on Wednesday threatened to rally their supporters to storm the Treasury if the Kenya Kwanza administration fails to provide a roadmap on how they will reduce the cost of food commodities.
Armed with guns, batons and teargas, police officers from Kisumu County braved the scorching sun to ensure that no unauthorised motorist or persons accessed the Jomo Kenyatta highway. The road which leads to State Lodge, Kisumu and Milimani Estate was a no-go zone for close to 10 hours as anti-riot police officers kept watch.
The situation was not different in Nairobi; all roads leading to State House had a team of police officers who erected bumps to control traffic.
Processional Way, State House Road, Dennis Pritt and Milimani Road all had heavy police deployment.
Nairobi Police Commander Adamson Bungei told Citizen TV that the enhanced security patrol was normal police procedure to ensure Kenyans are safe as they go about their business.
Sources however intimated to us that the heightened security was a result of the lapse of the 14-day ultimatum given by Azimio Leader Raila Odinga to the government to deal with the high cost of living.
“If these demands are not heeded within 14 days we shall lead Kenyans in mass action across the country to get their power back and restore sanity,” Odinga said last month.
Azimio Legislators who met at Chungwa House to discuss issues affecting the country threatened to mobilise their supporters to storm relevant government offices and seek answers.
“If we as the representatives of the people have been unable to extract a plan for these people from the government of Kenya Kwanza we will take our people to Prof. Ndungu’s office so that he can explain to people what is the plan in terms of economic recovery,” Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna said.
Lugari MP Nabii Nabwire added: “We want answers and if they do not come in a few days we will have no option but to lead our supporters into these offices for answers.”
The MPs want government officials to stop lamenting and blaming the previous regime over the problems bedevilling the country and offer solutions.
“You lifted those subsidies what are you doing with that money we need to see you doing something not always complaining,” Kitui Senator Enoch Wambua stated.
“We have just gone through supplementary estimates in parliament, there is nothing in that supplementary budget that pointed out to the direction of a govt that is trying to lift Kenyans from the bottom up,” Alego Usonga MP Samuel Atandi added.
The leaders also criticised the naming and shaming of those who allegedly stole money from the former regime saying prosecutions based on evidence would be the proper channel to follow.
Odinga is expected to issue the way forward to his supporters on Thursday.
