Brian Mayodi
As Azimio leader Raila Odinga escalates his political conflict with President William Ruto, opposition demonstrations are gradually growing in number in outlying areas of the nation.
According to the ODM leader, a number of businesses are being mishandled by Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza government and must be avoided by followers of the opposition.
“There are many companies being misused and next week we will unveil list of products to be boycotted,” Raila said.
A small number of protesters went to the streets in Kisumu and Vihiga counties on Friday, one day after Raila urged his supporters to take action, to voice their displeasure with the government’s “inaction” on the cost of essential commodities.
The Friday procession is a lead-up to the significant demonstration that will take place in Nairobi on March 20.
Raila was in charge of an Azimio People Baraza in Migori, which he compared to the biblical last supper, as Kisumu and Vihiga residents took to the streets.
“This is like the last supper that is why we decided to come to Migori after declaring (mass action),” Raila said.
Raila said he is prepared to pay the final price in his political conflict with Ruto while movingly retelling the tale of Waganda, a village girl who was sacrificed so that the neighborhood would receive rain.
“I am the Waganda, I will go on March 20 and if I must be fed to crocodiles so that it rains, I am ready,” he said.
The largely peaceful demonstrations were in reaction to Raila’s Thursday call for a nationwide strike from the offices of Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Foundation.
Defiance, protests, boycotts, and peaceful sit-ins that may entail occupying key government buildings are all part of Azimio’s multi-pronged strategy.
