Raila Odinga and Kalonzo Musyoka's Security Details Withdrawn in Apparent Political Move

18, Jul 2023 / 2 min read/ By Livenow Africa

The security details of Azimio la Umoja principals, Raila Odinga and Kalonzo Musyoka, have been withdrawn, as revealed by Jubilee Secretary General Jeremiah Kioni. In an interview, Kioni expressed his belief that the move was a political witch-hunt aimed at dissuading the Azimio la Umoja Coalition from organizing mass demonstrations.

Kioni criticized the government for resorting to finding scapegoats instead of providing viable solutions to alleviate the rising cost of living. He confirmed that he was not surprised by President William Ruto's call to his MPs to block the planned mass protests in their respective constituencies.

"I didn't expect the government to welcome maandamano (protests), so I am not surprised. If you are in office, the only responsibility is to make Kenyans' lives better. If not, we ought to challenge you through protests, and the police should provide protection," stated Kioni.

During the conversation, the former Ndaragwa MP alleged that a hotel in Eldoret was being utilized as a training ground by a special police unit formed to suppress the Azimio protests. However, these claims could not be independently verified by the media.

"I received a call from a supporter in Eldoret who informed me about a hotel being used to train these officers for demonstrations. Initially, there were around 200 officers, but their numbers have since increased. Some members of that unit were reportedly recalled from the Special Services Unit (SSU)," Kioni added.

According to Kioni, the opposition had received intelligence from several police officers who expressed their unwillingness to participate in quelling the anti-government protests. He stated that these officers provided crucial information regarding the plans to deter the planned demonstrations.

Regarding the allegations of retired President Uhuru Kenyatta funding the Azimio protests, Kioni dismissed them as baseless speculation. He questioned why Uhuru would finance protests when he had previously advocated for job creation for the youth.

"To say Uhuru is funding them, why didn't he fund them when he was in power? Instead, Uhuru brought 'Kazi Mtaani' to help the youth," Kioni emphasized.

He reiterated Azimio's position, asserting that the opposition was not seeking a handshake with Kenya Kwanza, implying that their objectives were distinct from those of the ruling party.

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