Raila Changes Tune on SabaSaba Rally

Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Coalition Party Leader Raila Odinga says the protest rally scheduled to take place at Kamukunji grounds in Nairobi on Friday, July 7, 2023, will be held countrywide.

Speaking to the press at Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka (SKM) Center, the former Prime Minister announced that the Sabasaba rally, planned for Friday, July 7, would go on albeit with three key changes.

Addressing the press on Tuesday afternoon, the Opposition leader rallied all his supporters across the country to mark the historic Saba Saba Day, by protesting against the current government over the high cost of living.

Odinga, who promised to lead a major rally at the Kamukunji grounds, said he would formalize where subsequent rallies would be held countrywide.

“Our Kamukunji meeting is on in Nairobi this Friday as we had announced. But it is not just a Kamukunji in Nairobi, but a Kamukunji across the country where this Third Liberation will be launched,” Odinga stated.

The Azimio Chief cited the increasing taxes on consumable goods, fuel and the recently announced fare hike, noting that the consultative meetings would be aimed at boycotting President William Ruto’s regime, its policies and taxes.

He said the opposition coalition would lead Kenyans in the collection of signatures to reject the administration.

“Ruto is imposing taxes on us without our consent and making laws whose net effect is to make life increasingly difficult. We are here because the taxation situation in the country and its accompanying injustices can no longer be tolerated,” he said.

“On July 7 2023, among other activities, we will launch signature collection to signify our rejection of Kenya Kwanza’s illegitimate regime and its policies, especially the punitive taxes,” he said.

Odinga added: “As we speak, fuel, food, fare…are all going up in prices. In fact, the fare is already going up by 30%.”

The former premier, therefore, urged citizens to back his move to stand against what he termed as ‘dictatorship’ and reject newly imposed taxes which he said have made the lives of Kenyans unbearable.

“It has become clear that we are dealing with a dictator who also has no respect for wananchi. Ruto has become a heartless tyrant,” he stated.

“As a people, we are not given to suffer in silence; we do not kneel before dictators and beg for their mercy. Even the few who do still suffer humiliation and even death, so we fight! Let us proceed with a bold determination that we are going to stick together and work together.”

Odinga at the same time defended the legality of the demonstrations arguing that Kenyans will be acting within their constitutional right.

He allayed fears of violence during the rallies reiterating that protests will be peaceful and in adherence with the law.

“By embarking on protests, picketing, tax boycott and civil disobedience we are not in any way advocating for violence. We have never advocated for violence in the past, we will never advocate it now or in the future,” he noted.

“We believe in the law and the rule of law and we will act within the law but the only weapon which we have in our hands is our sovereign power to picket, protest, boycott and embark on civil disobedience beginning on Friday.”