Tag: Azimio News

Former President Kenyatta Reiterates Support For Azimio, Amidst Blame Games

Posted on by Dennis Elnino

Former President Uhuru Kenyatta has once again affirmed his unwavering support for the Azimio la Umoja – One Kenya coalition, led by opposition leader Raila Odinga. Addressing a church congregation in Mwingi on Sunday, November 19, Kenyatta, accompanied by Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, remained steadfast in his stance, emphasizing the importance of integrity and consistency in leadership.

“I am not a conman. I always tell people I am an Azimio member and that is where I belong. My stand has not changed. You should be a politician with a stand who can always be trusted,” he told the congregation.

The former Head of State also addressed the accusations and threats he has received regarding the current government’s shortcomings. He acknowledged the blame-shifting tactics often employed by political opponents, but asserted his resilience in the face of such attacks.

“I am no longer scared. We have been threatened and told a lot of things. Each time someone fails in their mandate, they blame the previous government. I am used to the blame and life continues,” Uhuru noted.

Kenyatta emphasized the need for unity among leaders, urging them to prioritize the welfare of Kenyan citizens above political differences.

“Let us not allow politics to divide us. Everyone has an opportunity to contribute to the growth of the nation and end poverty. For servant leadership, we are in the positions that we are in and God has given us those positions not for ourselves but to serve others,” he said.

Blame Games Continue

Meanwhile, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, speaking at a church service in Mt. Elgon Churches, Kopsiro, reiterated the Kenya Kwanza government’s commitment to addressing the challenges left behind by the Kenyatta administration.

Gachagua criticized the former government, alleging that it had neglected the agricultural sector, particularly farmers.

“When we came into power, we found a lot of problems. Agriculture was in pretty bad shape because the former regime had refused to help farmers on issues of fertilizers,” Gachagua asserted.

Azimio copy Ruto’s playbook, run to church and God

Posted on by Ozymandias

Azimio la Umoja – One Kenya Coalition will hold an interdenominational prayer service on Friday to seek divine intervention in the current political stalemate in Kenya.

The prayer service will be held at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Foundation in Nairobi, and similar services will be held in other counties across the country.

The coalition is seeking divine intervention to help resolve the political stalemate, which has led to weeks of anti-government protests. The protests have resulted in the loss of several lives and widespread destruction of property.

The coalition is also calling on the government to listen to the cries of the people and to uphold the law and protect human rights. They are also calling on the international community to stand with Kenyans against a “regime gone rogue.”

After the prayers, the coalition will give the way forward for their supporters.

The decision to hold an interdenominational prayer service is a sign that the coalition is committed to seeking peaceful resolution to the political stalemate. The prayers are also a way for the coalition to show their solidarity with the people who have been affected by the protests.

The coalition is hopeful that the prayers will help to bring peace and stability to Kenya.

Kenya Kwanza and Azimio La Umoja trade barbs over bipartisan talks

Posted on by Ozymandias

The Kenya Kwanza bipartisan team has called on Azimio La Umoja to rejoin the talks and resolve the issues affecting the country. However, Azimio has accused Kenya Kwanza of sabotaging the talks.

In a press briefing on Tuesday, Kenya Kwanza co-chair George Murugara said that the issues affecting the country cannot be solved through street protests, but must be discussed at a roundtable. He thanked Azimio for calling off the demonstrations and urged them to continue preaching for peace.

Azimio, on the other hand, has accused Kenya Kwanza of absconding from the talks. Raila Odinga said that he had called off the demonstrations despite protests from his supporters, but that Kenya Kwanza had not been available for talks.

On Monday, Azimio called off the protests that were scheduled to take place on Wednesday. Instead, they asked Kenyans to hold vigils for those who have been killed during the past protests.

The two sides are now trading barbs over who is to blame for the failure of the bipartisan talks. It remains to be seen whether they will be able to come together to resolve the issues affecting the country.

Sondu Bay clashes mirror dark days

Posted on by Ozymandias

Narok Senator Ledama Olekina has warned that the tribal clashes in Kisumu and Kericho counties could lead to a war. He called on politicians to end their selfish interests and work towards peace.

The clashes, which have been ongoing for years, have been sparked by a long-standing boundary dispute between the two counties. On Thursday, two people were killed and 15 others injured in fresh violence.

Ledama said that the clashes are a result of politicians using the dispute to further their own agendas. He urged President William Ruto and Interior CS Kithure Kindiki to stop inciting violence and work towards a peaceful resolution.

“We are getting drunk with power,” Ledama said. “Our own selfish interests will destroy our beautiful country!”

He called on the two leaders to remember that political power is transient and that they should focus on building a better future for Kenya.

The clashes in Sondu market have been a major source of tension between the Kisumu and Kericho counties. The two counties differ over the location of the boundary which demarcates the two counties. This has led to intermittent clashes over the years, with the most recent violence occurring on Thursday.

Ledama’s warning is a timely reminder of the dangers of tribal conflict. He is right to say that politicians must put their own interests aside and work towards peace. The future of Kenya depends on it.

Maandamano suspects released on bail

Posted on by Ozymandias

More than 90 suspects who were detained on Wednesday in Eastlands, Nairobi, following protests by members of the Azimio la Umoja – One Kenya Coalition were charged in court on Thursday with participating in an illegal assembly in violation of section 79 of the penal code.

The majority of the suspects were apprehended in the estates of Makongeni and Shauri Moyo on Jogoo Road. Within the Embakasi East sub-county, other people were detained in Jacaranda, Savannah, and Dandora estate.

One of the defendants, a 15-year-old boy, acknowledged that he was detained while taking part in the violent demonstrations.

One of the defendants, a 15-year-old boy, acknowledged that he was detained while taking part in the violent demonstrations.

Charges of assaulting police officers in the proper performance of their duties in violation of section 103 (a) of the National Police Service Act of 2011 were brought against several of the accused who reportedly stoned police officers dispersing the protestors.

During the protests, two police officers from the Shauri Moyo and Makongeni Police Stations suffered injuries.

Many of the accused, who asserted that a police officer struck them when they were being arrested, were unable to stand when they were arraigned before the Makadara Law Courts in Nairobi and were therefore unable to be charged.

Prior to filing charges, Senior Principal Magistrate Helen Okwani ordered that the suspects be brought to a hospital for treatment. The injured suspects are to be arraigned for a plea hearing on July 20, 2023, the magistrate further directed.

The rest of the accused entered a variety of defenses, with the bulk disputing the allegations against them.

Those who had added charges of assaulting police officers were freed on a cash bail of Sh30,000 while those who had only been charged with participating in an unlawful assembly were released on a cash bail of Sh5,000.

Lawyers Samuel Ayora and Rachel Nyambura defended each suspect. The detainees’ attorneys appealed for moderate bail and bond conditions.

More than 24 people are facing charges for allegedly hitting a police officer with a stone, but the officer is still alive, Mr. Ayora informed Ms. Okwani.

The defendants who entered a guilty plea were remanded in custody until July 17, 2023, when the prosecution will present its case against them and they will be found guilty and sentenced.

Azimio Coalition to Hold Countrywide Protests on Wednesday

Posted on by Ozymandias

Azimio Coalition leader Raila Odinga has announced that the coalition will hold countrywide protests on Wednesday, July 19, regardless of whether the government issues a permit.

Odinga said that the protests are being held to demand that the government address the high cost of living and other issues affecting Kenyans. He urged Kenyans to come out in large numbers to participate in the demonstrations.

DAP-K leader Eugene Wamalwa echoed Odinga’s sentiments, saying that the coalition would not be cowed by the government. He urged Kenyans to continue signing the petition against President William Ruto’s administration on both digital and manual collection platforms.

The Coalition has also announced that they will take five days off to mourn the lives lost during Wednesday protests. At least nine people were killed during the anti-government protests according to the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights.

KNCHR said four people were killed in Mlolongo while Kitengela, Emali, Sondu and Migori reported one death each.

The protests are likely to be met with a heavy police presence. The government has already warned that it will not tolerate any violence.

It remains to be seen how the protests will unfold. However, it is clear that the Azimio Coalition is determined to make its voice heard.

Raila supporter detained for 7 days over Russia weapons video

Posted on by Ozymandias

A supporter of Raila Odinga has been detained for 7 days pending investigations into a video he allegedly shared on social media.

The video, which was posted on TikTok, shows the man calling on Odinga to go to Russia and bring guns for his supporters to invade State House.

The man, who has been identified as Shadrack Omondi alias Omosh Jakababa, was arrested in Kisumu on Monday, July 10, 2023.

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) said that Omosh is being investigated for incitement and terror-related offences.

Omosh’s lawyer, Danstan Omari, has denied the allegations, saying that the video does not disclose any offence.

He also said that the word “bunduki” can have many meanings, including “gun” for sports or hunting.

The magistrate, Martha Nanzushi, said that she would not grant the DCI’s request to detain Omosh for 14 days, but she did grant a 7-day detention.

The case will be heard again on July 17, 2023.

Azimio la Umoja – One Kenya Coalition launches website to collect signatures to remove President Ruto from office

Posted on by Ozymandias

The Azimio la Umoja – One Kenya Coalition has launched a new website, tumechoka.net, in an effort to collect 10 million signatures from Kenyans to remove President William Ruto and his deputy, Rigathi Gachagua, from office.

The website’s landing page prompts users to key in their personal details, including their national identification number, first and last name, county, constituency, and ward. Users are also asked to agree with the following statement:

“I hereby support the citizens’ initiative to remove from office Mr William Ruto as the President of the Republic of Kenya and Mr Rigathi Gachagua as the Deputy President of the Republic of Kenya, which positions the said two have usurped and occupied in violation of the Constitution of Kenya, and have proceeded to impose high, oppressive, insensitive and punitive taxes on the people of Kenya without the peoples’ representation.

They have also been running the affairs of the Republic like a shareholders’ company. Exercising my sovereignty under Article 1 directly, I also hereby authorize and support a forensic audit of the 2022 presidential elections pursuant to Article 88 (4) (h) of the Constitution of Kenya, 2010. Further, exercising my constitutional rights, I also support the citizens’ pursuit for self-determination or secession. I undertake to recruit as many other citizens as possible to support this initiative; As a registered voter, I therefore freely and willingly authorize the use of my name as a supporter of this initiative.”

The coalition says that the signatures will be used to launch a legal challenge to the election of President Ruto and Mr Gachagua. However, it is unclear whether the signatures will be enough to force the two leaders from office.

The Constitution of Kenya only allows for a sitting President to be removed from office through impeachment. This can be done by a two-thirds majority vote in the Senate, or by a simple majority vote in the National Assembly if the President is found to be incapacited.

It is possible that the Azimio la Umoja – One Kenya Coalition could use the signatures to try to pressure the Senate or the National Assembly to impeach President Ruto and Mr Gachagua. However, it is also possible that the signatures will have no legal effect.

The launch of the tumechoka.net website is a significant development in the political landscape in Kenya. It is the first time that an opposition coalition has launched a legal challenge to the election of a sitting President. It remains to be seen whether the challenge will be successful, but it is sure to generate a lot of debate and discussion in Kenya.

 

Azimio Coalition Demands Transparency From Kenya Kwanza On Suspicious Borrowing

Posted on by Dennis Elnino

The Azimio Coalition, led by opposition leader Raila Odinga, has called for transparency and accountability from the Kenya Kwanza administration following a series of suspicious borrowing activities.

In a press release issued on Tuesday, June 20, Odinga highlighted several alarming features surrounding recent borrowing undertaken by the government, which occurred just days before the start of the new financial year.

He said that the Kenya Kwanza administration secured a staggering 213.4 billion Kenyan shillings (KSh) from local financial institutions in a single day last week.

The Azimio leader said the timing of the borrowing is questionable, taking place a mere 10 days before the commencement of the new fiscal year, set to begin on July 1, 2023.

Moreover, the borrowed funds were obtained at an exceptionally high interest rate of 15.84%.

Additionally, this single borrowing constitutes almost half of the total approved annual domestic borrowing of KSh438 billion for the year 2022-2023.

The Azimio Coalition Party has requested the Kenya Kwanza administration to provide clarification on several key concerns.

Firstly, the party demanded a detailed account of where the borrowed funds will be allocated, given the proximity to the new financial year.

Secondly, Odinga questioned the high interest rate at which the funds were borrowed, saying that it was “unconscionable” for the government to be paying such high rates of interest when there are other, more affordable options available.

Finally, the Azimio leader called on the Kenya Kwanza administration to be more transparent about its borrowing practices, saying that the public has a right to know how their tax money is being used.

The Kenya Kwanza administration has yet to respond to the Azimio Coalition’s demands.