'Nane Nane' march will be our final day in the streets – Kasmuel McOure

A section of Kenyan youth have vowed to proceed with the planned Thursday protests, terming it their final attempt at what they termed as liberating the country from the claws of the Kenya Kwanza regime.

The youth, led by outspoken political activist Kasmuel McOure, made the declaration at a press address in Nairobi on Wednesday, saying the August 8th mega-protest, now christened ‘Nane Nane,’ will be the mother of all demonstrations in recent times.

McOure said the protest will culminate in a march to State House, where the youth – under the Gen Z banner - will seek to oust President William Ruto whom they accused of failing to address their grievances.

“Nane Nane is going to be our final day in the streets. We will go to the streets because Kenya Kwanza regime has taken everything we had.  We have elucidated very well what our demands have been. That we want to live in a country that gives us land; we want to live in a country that gives us education; we want to live in a country where children will not die from natal diseases. Tomorrow is a forward march in our anals of history,” he said.

“Tomorrow, as we march towards a new Republic, I want to assure you that the spirit of the Kenyan youth remains unbowed. We shall march for our rights and tomorrow we shall liberate this country!”

McOure went ahead to condemn the State’s security organs for meting unnecessary force against protesters, warning that the youth will not take kindly to armed police officers in civilian clothes deployed to disperse them.

“I want to issue a very stern directive to the State organ that is the police force, and not a police service - if we see unidentified men in civilian clothing, riding in government vehicles, we shall treat them as robbers, we shall treat them as thieves, we shall treat them as colonizers,” he said.

“I want to assure all the Kenyans that we have not gathered here today in vain. We assure Kenyans that we shall not see those mad men on the streets. We have gotten to a point in this country where we even have Caucasians wielding arms on the streets.”

The remarks by the youth came even as Acting Inspector General of Police Gilbert Masengeli warned that the planned anti-government demonstrations could be infiltrated by goons, thereby threatening the country's security.

Masengeli highlighted that intelligence reports had pointed to the same, insisting that officers will not hesitate to engage the marauders.

“The initial demonstrations held in June were peaceful but subsequent protests morphed into riots, with looters destroying and stealing property,” he said.

“Our intelligence reports indicate that there are security threats to the country with criminals planning to infiltrate tomorrow's demonstrations and commit further crimes. In anticipation, we have ensured adequate deployment of personnel."

While urging members of the public to exercise vigilance during the protests, Masengeli likewise cautioned protesters against trespassing on protected land like the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) and State House.

"All those planning to exercise their rights of participation in the protests should do so in compliance with the law," he said.

"Kenya (as a) country is all we have. Every one of us therefore has a responsibility to keep our country safe."