DP Gachagua tells Kenyans to ignore Raila’s Monday ‘public holiday’ declaration

Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has asked Kenyans to ignore a declaration by Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition party leader Raila Odinga that Monday is a public holiday, advising them to instead go about their businesses normally.

DP Gachagua assured the business community and investors that security agencies are on high alert to counter any acts of lawlessness that may come from the oppoition faction’s protesters on the said day.

Speaking in Nanyuki during the Pan-African (Re)Insurance Journalism Awards on Friday, Gachagua termed Azimio’s  protests and mass action as a passing cloud, reiterating that the government is very stable and in full control.

He termed as unpatriotic any leader that tries to create fear on an economy that is striving to stabilize itself by inciting Kenyans, adding that President William Ruto’s administration is committed to bettering the lives of citizens by wooing investors.

“What you’re reading in the papers about some characters whom we defeated in the last election saying that they will take to the streets for protest is nothing new, they have done it every 5 years for the last 50 years. The only difference is that by selling fear to create chaos and anarchy to destabilize the economy, the previous leaders have always acceded to those threats and invited him to join government through the back door. So he is repeating the same script, but I want to say that will not happen this time – nobody will join the government through the back door,” he said.

“We ask the people of Kenya to remain busy and move on with their lives. We want to ask these people who are calling for demonstrations, that if they’re genuine then let them call their sons and daighters to be at the forefront, then it will make sense, but you cannot misuse the children of other people for your own selfish agenda.”

This comes as Mr. Odinga and Azimio-affiliated leaders have announced mega demonstrations in Nairobi on Monday to protest the high cost of living among other issues.