Former Meru Governor Kiraitu Murungi has taken a jibe at Azimio leaders for calling for mass action over high cost of living.
Kiraitu said the high cost of fuel which the outfit under Raila Odinga’s leadership has cited among grounds for their street protests as something beyond government’s control.
“The price of oil is not determined in Kenya, we buy oil from outside. No matter how long you demonstrate, be it months or years, the Arabs selling oil are not even aware there are protests here,” Kiraitu said.
He was speaking on Sunday during a church service at Chuka in Tharaka Nithi county.
Raila on Thursday launched what he termed as Movement for the Defence of Democracy (MDD) in Nairobi to mount pressure on the Kenya Kwanza government to address among other issues the rising cost of living.
He said the mass action which will start on March 20 is a message to President William Ruto’s regime, which he said is illegitimately in office, that Kenyans are tired of false promises.
“This illegitimate regime heartlessly removed subsidies to Unga, electricity, petrol, diesel, paraffin, bus fare and school fees. This has made life unbearable to almost every Kenyan,” Raila said.
The call for the mass action came after the lapse of a 14-day ultimatum for the government to “remove all these cruel policies” failure to which, Kenyans would take transformative actions, Raila said.
“Those 14 days elapsed last midnight with Kenya Kwanza having done absolutely nothing. Today, we make good our promise to Ruto and his illegitimate Kenya Kwanza regime. We unleash the people’s power for action and launch the Movement for Defence of Democracy,” he said.
But Kiraitu scorned at the declaration saying streets protests in Nairobi will have absolutely no impact on oil prices on the global market.
“That is lying to yourself and to other people. Those are just political antics people are proud of making,” he said.
President William Ruto, and his deputy Rigathi Gachagua were among leaders present during the church service.
Kiraitu pledged his support for Ruto saying he is glad the head of state has taken steps to address the fuel issue by sending someone to the Gulf.
“We are told in another two-three months, fuel prices will go down,” he said.
