The political situation in the country is tense ahead of planned opposition protests on Monday.
The Azimio coalition, led by opposition leader Raila Odinga, is anxious that the government may attempt to crack down on them to prevent the protests from taking place. The fear of arbitrary state arrests has caused panic among key politicians, many of whom are reportedly considering changing their usual residences to avoid being arrested.
The anxiety among the opposition has been heightened by President William Ruto’s warning against destruction of property and loss of lives. While Raila has insisted that the protests will be peaceful, Ruto has expressed regret that the opposition leader’s past demonstrations have always turned chaotic, resulting in massive losses.
There are concerns that state agents are monitoring the movements of opposition leaders, and that the Azimio coalition could be targeted for house arrests ahead of Monday’s march to State House. However, the opposition remains determined to carry out the protests, and insists that the protests will be spearheaded by the people, not just the leaders.
“We are aware that one of the options they are looking at is placing some of us under house arrest but we are well ahead of them in this game,”
ODM Director of Elections Philip Etale lifted the lid on the fears saying even if the State will manage house arrests, the protests will continue as they will be led by Kenyans themselves.
“Azimio leaders house arrests won’t work. The protests will be spearheaded by Kenyans and not the leaders,” he wrote on his verified Facebook account.
Constitutional experts have warned that any attempt to storm State House would be treasonous and could lead to a bloodbath, should security officers respond against the protesters. The opposition has denied any plans to storm State House, but the government remains on high alert, amid fears that the Azimio leaders are planning a violent protest.
Protests in Kisumu on Wednesday turned chaotic when a section of the protesters stormed a government event and disrupted it. The incident has increased concerns that the protests could turn violent, and that the government may take a hardline approach to prevent them from taking place.
The situation in Kenya is tense, with both the opposition and the government on edge ahead of the planned protests. The opposition is determined to exercise their democratic right to protest, while the government is equally determined to maintain law and order. The coming days will be critical in determining the outcome of this standoff, and whether Kenya can avoid a violent confrontation between the two sides.
