NAIROBI, Kenya July 17 – A petitioner has moved to court seeking orders to stop Azimio and its leaders Raila Odinga and Uhuru Kenyatta from planning protests in the country.
In a petition filed on Monday morning, Martin Gitau said the protests had caused deaths, property destruction and was likely to plunge the country into chaos if not stopped.
The petitioner is specifically seeking orders to stop the Wednesday, Thursday and Friday protests called by the opposition leaders over the escalating high cost of living.
Similar protests in past two weeks has cost lives of more than 15 people with over 300 injured, some seriously.
“That contrary to the law, the Respondents continue to mastermind, orchestrate and sponsor a systemic campaign of violent protests, chaos, destruction and death of innocent citizens as well as security officers,” Gitau says in the petition drawn by lawyer Adrian Kamotho.
President William Ruto has vowed he will not allow more protests in the country, blaming his predecessor Kenyatta and Odinga of orchestrating the chaos.
“It will not happen again because we can’t continue losing lives because of individuals who are pursuing their own personal interests,” he declared on Saturday.
Monday’s petition at the High Court warned Kenya risks more violence unless urgent orders are issued to stop the demonstrations which have always turned violent.
“That whereas Article 37 of the Constitution secures the right to, peaceably and unarmed, assemble, demonstrate, picket, and to present petitions to public authorities, the Respondents have abused the said rights and resorted to rioting, hooliganism, vandalism, primitive destruction and mindless conduct that is inherently incompatible with the overall enjoyment of fundamental rights and freedoms,” Gitau said in his petition which he wants certified urgent to be heard and determined expeditiously.
Odinga, who says last year’s presidential election was “stolen”, initiated a string of rallies this year against a government he says is illegitimate and responsible for a cost-of-living crisis but President Ruto has told him off, accusing him “”living in the past and failing to accept “failing to accept the reality that he lost the election fair and square.”
Police have been accused of a heavy-handed response and criticised for using firearms and tear gas against civilians, but the government said it could not allow rioting and looting to take place unchecked.
Ruto said he “cannot accept anarchy” in Kenya and would not allow another week of rallies.
“Protests will no longer take place in our nation of Kenya. The one they have planned for Wednesday will not be possible,” Ruto told supporters in Nakuru this past weekend.
“I want to tell Raila Odinga that elections ended on August 8 last year. You can’t seek the leadership of our country through bloodshed, deaths, and destruction of property. There is no way you will change Kenya through the route you have taken.”
Ruto said he would “meet face to face” with Odinga.
Following the latest unrest, the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights, an independent watchdog created by parliament, called for an investigation into reports of looting, vandalism and police brutality, warning the country teetered “on the brink of anarchy”.
Each day of protest costs the economy an average of three billion shillings ($21.8 million), according to the Kenya Private Sector Alliance, at a time of soaring inflation.
Kenya is seen as a democratic anchor in East Africa and the protests have attracted international concern.
The United Nations on Friday voiced concern over the deadly violence surrounding the demonstrations.
“The UN Human Rights Office is very concerned by the widespread violence, and allegations of unnecessary or disproportionate use of force, including the use of firearms, by police during protests in Kenya,” spokesman Jeremy Laurence said in a statement but Kenya’s Permanent Representative in the UN has fired back and called for objectivity instead of blanket condemnation of the Kenyan government.
