Monday protests will now be held weekly, according to opposition leader Raila Odinga, after police clashed with protesters over the country's rising cost of living.
He told a Nairobi crowd of cheering supporters, "Every Monday, there will be a strike, there will be a demonstration. Odinga declared in Eastleigh that "the fight has started, and it won't finish until Kenyans receive their rights" after his convoy was teargassed outside the Serena Hotel as he was leading supporters into the town.
Raila Odinga: Tumefika, leo tumekuwa na maandamano town. Jumatatu Wakenya watakuwa na maandamano ya kiamani. Wameshikwa na uwoga lakini tutaendelea mpaka bei ya unga irudi chini #Maandamano pic.twitter.com/l6QBa49N5m
— Citizen TV Kenya (@citizentvkenya) March 20, 2023Did you read this?
He had intended to lead a "calm" march to the State House, but heavily armed anti-riot police officers barred all routes there.
When Odinga joined the demonstration in Nairobi's Eastleigh neighbourhood, he spoke to the crowd from the top of his motorcade and described Monday's large-scale protest as the start of a fight for justice.
The Azimo La Umoja leader, who was accompanied by other leaders including Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, Narc Kenya leader Martha Karua, and ADPK leader Eugene Wamalwa on Monday, made impromptu stopovers at Eastleigh and Juja road after Railas motorcade was blocked by teargas as they tried to leave Serena Park Hotel to go to KICC where they were to assemble and start matching to the statehouse.
Raila Odinga: Tumerudi town, maandamano tena na tena mpaka gharama ya unga irudi chini na tupate haki yetu ya uchaguzi #Maandamano pic.twitter.com/4o4FLEA2oM
— Citizen TV Kenya (@citizentvkenya) March 20, 2023
At a different stop in Kamukunji, Odinga asserted that the protestors' attendance on Monday is evidence that Kenyans are sick of President William Ruto's administration.
The former prime minister congratulated Kenyans for participating in the mass action in such huge numbers despite what he claimed were government efforts to put it down and promised they would not give up until the government heeded their demands.
Saying, "Wakenya wameonyesha Punda amechoka. He said, "Hata kama wameleta askari".
While his followers clashed with police in some of Nairobi and Kisumu streets for the better part of the day, Odinga kept a low profile, simply expressing his support on social media.
He tweeted a few minutes after 10 a.m. to say they were on their route to join Kenyans in rejecting the leadership of Ruto.
