mixed reactions over anti-government protests

Nyeri

Tuesday July 18, 2023

KNA by Samuel Maina/Yvette Kimani

A section of Nyeri residents have elicited varied reactions to Azimio la Umoja One Kenya alliance protests scheduled for Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

Last week Wednesday, protesters and Police engaged in day-long running battles in several counties over the rising cost of living, leaving trails of deaths and property running into millions of shillings destroyed.

But speaking to KNA, Justus Omondi who works at the Nyeri Kukena booking office, argues that nobody should be allowed to disrupt the day-to-day running of the country on the pretext of fighting for the welfare of others.

Omondi who has openly admitted his support for the Azimio la Umoja party leader Raila Odinga says protesters should ensure their agitations do not deny the majority of struggling Kenyans the opportunity to engage in activities that will put food on their tables.

“Although I support my party leader (Raila Odinga) I will nevertheless not take part in these demonstrations since they will not offer me any financial help at the end of the day. In fact, we are the ones struggling to pay bills despite the harsh economic times we are living in. Why should we forgo activities that enable us to earn our daily bread for pursuits that will yield nothing at the end of the day?” he posed.

Charles Kande, a bodaboda rider in Nyeri town, has termed the ongoing demos an exercise in futility that will only leave gullible Kenyans worse off than before and politicians having the last laugh once a political settlement is reached over the stalemate.

Kande, therefore, says it is foolish to take part in such protests noting that many people have been arrested, injured, and even lost their lives during last week’s demonstrations.

“My refusal against taking part in these anti-government protests is pegged on what happens when I get arrested and end up behind bars and nobody comes to bail me out. Again, once I get arrested during such activities, who will take up the responsibility of fending for my family?” he posed.

“Those politicians who are calling for people to take to the streets are not doing so for the benefit of the Kenyans but for their vested interests. As far as I am concerned, I don’t think I have any stake in the protests purported to be pushing for the lowering of the cost of living,” he stated.

Pauline Wanjiku, a businesswoman, has denounced the wanton destruction of property witnessed during last week’s demos, warning that any escalation of the protests will only end up grinding the country’s fragile economy to a halt.

She is therefore calling for a cessation of the demos to give dialogue a chance saying unless leaders tone down their dangerous political rhetoric, the country will find itself in an abyss she may never redeem itself.

“We all saw how business operators were forced to shut down their premises in March due to similar protests leading to losses running into millions. It is therefore unacceptable for anyone to even imagine taking us back to the same route when the majority of business people are still struggling to find their right footing due to the deteriorating economic times,” she said.

She pleaded with the opposition or those demonstrating to be peaceful and put into consideration business owners whose business gets destroyed in the process.

Gabriel Mwenda, a resident of Nyeri claims the current protests have nothing to do with fighting for the rights of the masses, but are only meant to loot and destroy peoples’ businesses.

He has also condemned both the participants and organizers of the demos for the deaths and losses that were witnessed during last week’s protests.

“I do not see what people stand to gain from these protests apart from the closure of businesses, harming fellow citizens up to the destruction of property. If the aim is to protest against the high cost of living, we should take advantage of the rains and invest in our lands instead of wasting time protesting on the streets,” he pointed out.

Last week, Mukurwe-ini MP John Kaguchia termed the chaos and violence that were witnessed in more than a dozen counties including Nairobi during Azimio’s protests as not only unconstitutional but unfortunate.

Kaguchia, claimed that while a number of grievances that are being highlighted by the protestors are clearly valid, opposition luminaries led by Raila are hiding behind these challenges to derail the efforts by the government in addressing them.

“What has been witnessed so far is very unfortunate and unconstitutional. What is happening is that ODM is trying to take advantage of the challenges that Kenya is going through. Even though Article 37 of the constitution allows picketing, demonstrations, and presentation of petitions to public authority, it doesn’t in any way advocate for the kind of violence we are seeing. It does not allow the kind of destruction of property that we have seen,” he said during a morning TV show.

“Article 34(d) of the same constitution has given limitations of freedom of expression and other rights for Kenyans and the limitations are clear. What we have seen during the so called protests is some people trying to go overboard and taking advantage of a situation we all agree is a challenge, but which we seek to rectify for the people,” he explained.

The lawmaker has also accused the Azimio leaders of using the plight of the masses to vent their anger following their loss during the last general elections and urged them to come to terms with the reality and allow President Dr. William Ruto to fulfill his pre-election promises.

Tetu MP Geoffrey Ndeto has similarly condemned the violent protests that were witnessed in various parts of the country and termed the actions as sabotage to the government.

He said the call by the opposition for Kenyans to take to the streets to destroy property, loot, and cripple businesses is not the solution to addressing the current challenges facing the country, but is only meant to destroy an already fragile economy.

Courtesy ; K. N. A