Current Situation in Nairobi CBD Ahead of Raila’s Protest.

Azimio la Umoja on Thursday made a last call to supporters to throng the historic Kamukunji grounds for what they termed as launch of the third revolution.

The opposition MPs led by Nairobi county ODM chairman George Aladwa said all is set for the Friday Saba Saba rally that would see the opposition brigade march to the city centre in fresh anti-government protests.

Aladwa was accompanied by MPs Babu Owino (Embakasi East), Antony Oluoch (Mathare), Peter Orero (Kibra) and a host of city MCAs.

According to the Nairobi lawmakers who are the hosts of the rally, they will first converge at the grounds before marching to the Central Business District signalling a possible ugly confrontation with law enforcers.

“We will meet in clusters here in Nairobi and after our respective rallies we will demonstrate peacefully towards the town centre, we have a good programme and we ask all Kenyans to converge here from 9am,” Aladwa announced.

The last time Raila attempted to storm the CBD with supporters, police were deployed to break the march using teargas and water canons leaving scores injured and a trail of destruction.

Last month, Interior CS Kithure Kindiki warned those aggrieved with the passage of the Finance Bill, 2023, now Finance Act, to get redress in courts and not the streets.

“We will not allow any individual claiming to be aggrieved with certain policies in the country to disrupt the businesses of others, threatening the lives of others through Maandamano. I am aware the MPs have an impending Finance bill on their plate, and I urge the MPs to take that discussion to Parliament. For those that will not be contented with the outcome of the voting in Parliament, there are other avenues (court) where you could submit your case,” Kindiki said.

Police are yet to issue a statement whether they will allow Raila’s rally to proceed.

Unlike in the past, the rallies have been devolved with various parts across the country holding similar event.

Raila had on Thursday morning met some Azimio MPs at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Foundation where he instructed them to lead protests in their respective constituencies.

Speaking when they visited the grounds on Thursday, MPs Aladwa, Owino and Oluoch called on supporters to turn up for the rally to be addressed by Raila.

“You all know that Saba Saba is a historic day. So tomorrow we begin shaping a new history from this venue led by our leader Raila Odinga. We welcome all Kenyans from all walks of life to begin arriving here as early as 4.30am… We shall be very peaceful and hold a very peaceful meeting,” Aladwa said.

The Makadara MP called on the law enforcers to exercise restrain insisting that their meeting is within the constitution.

“We want to tell the government and especially the police, to give us peace and we shall give you peace,” added Aladwa.

Oluoch called on Kenyans to turn up and be part of the launch of resistance against the Kenya Kwanza punitive rule.

“We welcome Nairobi residents at this historic Kamukunji grounds where the second liberation of Saba Saba happened… The 2023 Saba Saba will officially take place here tomorrow. We want a new Kenya. Tomorrow we are here to start the fourth liberation,” he said.

The opposition called off anti-government demos in March as part of the concession for bipartisan talks that would have led to resolving an impasse over the IEBC succession.

But the talks aborted and Azimio pulled out officially and claimed that Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza had failed to comply with the conditions for the talks to proceed.