Opposition Leader Raila Odinga has broken his silence to explain his absence from the three-day anti-government protests he mobilized against the high cost of living.
Speaking to NTV, Odinga said he is nursing a terrible flu but has assured his supporters that he is firmly with them.
“I nursing a terrible flu but I am getting better,” he said in the interview, “I am urging my supporters to go on with the protests because tomorrow (Friday) is the grand finale.”
Since the beginning of the protests on Wednesday, at least six people have died, and more than 300 have been detained.
According to Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki, the suspects—many from Nairobi—have been accused of several offences, including unlawful assembly and property destruction.
Kindiki claims that the administration has ended the protests and advised the populace to carry on as usual.
“The public is at this moment informed that the wave of hooliganism, disruption of order and lawlessness that began on Wednesday has been fully contained, and the country has returned to normalcy,” Kindiki said.
According to statistics published by the government and hospitals, 20 people have died in protests since March, and the violence has concerned Kenyans and the world community.
President William Ruto on Thursday repeated his call for a halt to the demonstrations, saying they were “not a solution to the problems of Kenyans”.
