Even after the government prohibited the protests organized by opposition leader Raila Odinga, the third to take place this month, shops remained closed and there were intense security patrols across the city as well as adjacent towns including Kisumu, Nakuru, Mombasa, and Kisii, among others.
On Wednesday of last week, when protestors disobeyed a government ban and marched on, there were violent skirmishes that left nine people dead in various regions of the nation. Similar protests the week before claimed the lives of six additional people.
More demonstrations against the high cost of living brought on by the Finance Act signed by President William Ruto are being called for by Odinga on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.
Initiating a series of protests against a government he claims is unconstitutional and accountable for a cost-of-living problem, Odinga maintains that Ruto’s victory in last year’s presidential election was “stolen”.
However, President Ruto rebuked him and vowed to resist political pressure to share his power with a “loser” in the government.
“I want to inform Raila Odinga that voting for last year’s elections ended on August 8th. You cannot run for office in our nation by inflicting death, loss of life, and property destruction. You cannot transform Kenya in the manner you have chosen to do it,” said Ruto.
Following the anticipated protests, schools in the three largest cities in the country—Nairobi, Mombasa, and Kisumu—were ordered closed on Wednesday.
