‘President Ruto must go!’ Raila says as he declares start of mass action

Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Coalition Party leader Raila Odinga has officially launched the start of countrywide mass action against the Kenya Kwanza government.

Speaking in Nairobi on Thursday after the lapse of the 14-day ultimatum given to President William Ruto's administration to lower the cost of living, Odinga said the current regime had failed to live up to its promises and that Kenyans ought to unite and resist it.

As chants of ‘Ruto must go’ rent the air, Odinga came out guns blazing directing his supporters to join in the movement which he says would help liberate the nation.

“We begin telling Ruto and Gachagua that we understand that a caring government cannot emerge from an illegitimate regime like Kenya Kwanza. Begin telling them that we have no more patience with an illegitimate regime that is too mean-spirited and too incompetent to deploy resources to out war of poverty and suffering of our people,” he said.

“We have no more patience...we begin telling them that we can’t keep living on false promises and that when we keep taking painkillers long enough, you will cease killing the pain...”

He added: “Kenya is ripe for the people’s movement for the defence of democracy (MDD). The process begins today, here and now, Ruto must go!”

The Azimio chief went on to invite citizens for a nationwide rally on Monday, March 20, 2023, where he would lead a resistance procession against the current administration.

“Wherever we are at every corner of the country, we shall finally converge in Nairobi. On 20th March 2023, we have a date with destiny in Nairobi,” he said.

“On that day, our supporters throughout the country shall stage a massive procession in Nairobi for a legitimate and inclusive movement, save that date. The movement for the defence of democracy has now started.”

According to Odinga, the mass action is a peaceful ‘defiance’ against the government whose ultimate goal is to streamline service delivery in all sections of the government and protect the interests of ordinary citizens.

He, therefore, called upon both public and private workers, students, and all members who share in his beliefs to join in the demos.

"We launch a campaign of defiance, of peaceful picketing, peaceful protests, boycotts, strikes, disobedience, peaceful petitions, peaceful sittings and peaceful demonstrations which start today and now,” he stated.

“We also urge the victims of retrogressive politics of this illegitimate regime including workers, doctors, teachers, nurses, lecturers, students and business community to join this political revolution and movement for change…we are stronger together.”

At the same time Odinga reiterated his earlier remarks that he does not recognize the election of President Ruto citing election malpractice, Supreme Court verdict and allegations of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC)’s collaboration with the president to rig him out.