Azimio collects 1.2m signatures as Ruto warns against protests

Azimio Leader Raila Odinga put his signature as they start collecting signatures during their Saba Saba public engagement rally at Kamukunji Ground in Nairobi on July 7, 2023. [Boniface Okendo, Standard]

More than 1.2 million people have so far penned their signatures to Azimio la Umoja One Kenya’s anti-government drive that began last Friday.

Speaking during launch of ‘Tumechoka’ digital signature collection platform yesterday, Azimio leader Raila Odinga said the drive was meant to force President William Ruto to listen to Kenyans on lowering cost of living.

Raila explained that the signature collection drive is part of their civil disobedience push, as a ganging up of the people against the Executive and the Legislature, which he accused of colluding to hurt the masses through the “punitive” Finance Act 2023.

“The digital platform is complementary to all other efforts including civil disobedience, tax boycotts and defiance meant to compel the regime to repeal the Finance Act 2023 and take deliberate steps to lower the cost of living,” the Azimio leader said of the www.tumechoka.net website unveiled at the Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka Command Centre in Nairobi.

Kenyans interested will enter their identification and voter registration details to pen their signatures digitally.

“Having read and understood the intention of the promoters of this initiative, I hereby Support the Citizens’ initiative to remove from office Mr William Ruto as President and Mr Rigathi Gachagua as Deputy President of the Republic of Kenya,” reads the site’s homepage, which also has an option of recalling MPs.

The window for recall only opens two years after the elections. “We are aware Kenya Kwanza has questioned where we will take the signatures and the legality of the exercise. We don’t expect them to understand. They don’t understand the people’s power as of now, but with time, they will. But they need to understand we will not take it to the Kenya Kwanza IEBC or their compromised Parliament,” Raila said.

Some Kenya Kwanza leaders led by Gachagua, have dismissed Azimio’s signature collection, arguing that it lacked the backing of any law as the process of removing the president is defined in the Constitution.

Death and destruction

But even as the opposition chief gears for today’s mass protest, President Ruto has vowed that he will not allow activities that lead to death and destruction of property.

Terming the planned demonstrations acts of economic sabotage, the Head of State said: “We will not allow some individuals to sabotage government plans to create jobs for youth for their own selfish ends.”

President Ruto noted that during the July 7 demonstrations, six lives were lost because of leaders pursuing their selfish interests. “We will not allow further loss of lives to satisfy some one’s personal interests,” he said.

Speaking in Embakasi yesterday, during issuance of title deeds, Ruto asked the courts to dispense with the case filed against the Finance Act, 2023 to enable his government implement development agenda.

Gachagua asked the police to carry out their duties diligently saying people’s lives and property must be protected.

Raila condemned police response to last week’s protests, which resulted in the death of six people and alleged an assassination plot against him.

“We know they are getting it wrong and missing the point that what Kenyans have started is a self-propelling movement. It has never been and it will never be about an individual. Just like the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr or the detention of Nelson Mandela and Mahatma Gandhi did not stop the march for civil rights and freedom in the US, South Africa and India, no amount of shooting, teargas or even assassination will stop the march of history in this country,” Raila said. 

Besides the high cost of living, Azimio is pushing for an audit of the August 2022 General Election and wants to be included in recruitment of new electoral commissioners. The opposition also wants Kenya Kwanza to stop the assault on Azimio, which has resulted in defections.

Later, the opposition leaders rallied supporters at Kenyatta market in Kibra to turn up in large numbers for today’s protests.

Narc Kenya leader Martha Karua urged supporters to attend protests saying it is the surest way of ousting Ruto.

“The only work we are remaining with is so small, harambee for removing Zakayo from the position he is holding now. We gave him a notice to get down but he refused, the only way remaining is to put your signature as Kenyans for them to know that we are tired”, Karua stated.

DAP party leader Eugene Wamalwa urged Kenyans come out in their numbers for the anti-government demonstrations.

“If you here in Nairobi and you are tired of Zakayo, come in big numbers tomorrow, it will be big and this Zakayo must get down immediately,” he said.

Former Murang’a Governor Mwangi wa Iria condemned the Kenya Kwanza regime for overtaxing Kenyans.

“This people have told us that Kenya is a company and they are the owners and they can tax us by force, from today we are saying we are tired,” Wa Iria said as he called for civil disobedience measures such as tax boycotts.

“We are tired with this government, tomorrow turn out in big numbers at Kamukunji for the demonstrations,” former Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya said.