Blame games as Azimio demonstrations flop in Mombasa

Mombasa

Thursday, July 20, 2023

KNA by Sadik Hassan

A section of Mombasa Azimio supporters is now accusing Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir of snubbing the anti-government demonstrations. 

Governor Nassir has given the opposition demonstrations a wide berth and instead focused on service delivery.

“I want to tell you Abdulswamad you’re lukewarm, your fellow Azimio leaders are championing the party agenda, while you’re silent, 2027 is approaching. He’s not doing anything to propagate the national agenda of Azimio, yet he was elected on Azimio ticket,” said Bradley Ouna, an activist at the Uhuru Gardens along Moi Avenue.

Ouna expressed his dissatisfaction with the conduct of leaders elected on Azimio accusing them of only appearing for press briefings during the demonstrations before disappearing into thin air.

“The MPs have disappointed us, you don’t just do a press briefing and retreat to comfort. They are a letdown to Azimio's agenda, how do you popularize Azimio's agenda if you don’t come to the demonstration? Azimio is a government in waiting,” said Ouna.

He revealed that they are re-energizing and “we will be back soon on the road, we are having strategy meetings on our next course of action”.

The Azimio supporters alleged that a special police unit has been formed to deal with the protesters. They called for the immediate release of Raila Odinga's bodyguard Maurice Ogeta who was reportedly abducted.    

“Today is the third day since Maurice was abducted on his way to work. Maurice has not been released up to this time. We are seeing a resurgence of violent dictatorship perpetrated by Mr. William Ruto.

We are not going to accept we are going to totally reject any element of dictatorship. We are not going to be subdued, we shall continue to struggle for our rights whether he arrest all of us or not,” said Oginga Randiki a grass root advisor of Raila Odinga.

Randiki said the country is sliding back to the era of detentions, and no amount of arrest, illegal detention, and abductions will make them submit to dictatorial policies.

“He hasn’t constructed new prisons it is the same prison Moi used to take us to,” added Randiki.

Speaking separately Jomvu MP Badi Twalib Badi defended Governor Nassir and other Azimio elected leaders saying the demonstrations happened.

“We have been in the demonstrations all the days, where were they? Every time we plan they are successful,” he said.

Badi said, “If the Governor had not attended it’s because he was held up, even yesterday there were demonstrations Baba was not there, but the demonstration happened ditto the Governor was not there but the demonstration occurred”.

Courtesy ; K. N. A