NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 23 – The Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition has accused the government of attempting to tarnish it from the international community.
In a statement dated 22nd March by the Azimio Party spokesperson Makau Mutua, stated that letter from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the international community was painting Azimio La Umoja as a violent party out to subvert and cause chaos.
“The letter, which can only be described as a screed of naked propaganda attempts to justify the police brutality against peaceful demonstrators on Monday and seeks to paint Azimio La Umoja One Kenya as a violent party bent on subversion and chaos,” the letter read.
“We recognize the letter as a crude attempt by the Kenya Kwanza illegitimate regime to turn the international community against Azimio La Umoja and its current push to hold Mr. William Ruto and his regime accountable.”
In the statement, Mutua refuted the allegations, stating that the party’s demonstration was legal and within the constitution, with Kenyans having the right to assemble and demonstrate.
He accused the police of initiating the violence, resulting in several deaths and injuries, and damaging the vehicles in which Raila Odinga and Kalonzo Musyoka were riding.
He also claimed that some of their leaders were arrested or blocked from leaving their homes.
“Importantly, Mr Ruto panicked upon realizing that the world is very concerned that he recklessly, callously, and brutally misused the police to suppress people and prevent them from exercising their constitutional rights,” he said.
“These are crimes for which he bears full responsibility.”
He also claimed that the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, and the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission had all been taken over by the government, with serious cases, some on murder and grand corruption, being dropped against members of its regime.
Mutua alleged that the government was selectively prosecuting and persecuting individuals perceived to have been close to the previous regime or those in Azimio La Umoja.
He further accused the government of trying to create its own IEBC to rig itself into power again in 2027.
“Mr Ruto went on to make up a puppet of his handpicked cronies to recruit commissioners. How can a player in a contest choose its own referees? For the umpteenth time we reiterate that Azimio will not recognize any electoral body formed out of this illegitimate process or participate in elections under such a body,” he said.
He also urged the international community to stand with them and condemn the atrocities committed by the government.
“For our part, we will not relent, or surrender, to an illegitimate regime. As we announced on March 21, our demonstrations will now take place twice a week on Monday and Thursday until there is change in Kenya,” he said.
The letter was responding to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs who urged the International Community to consider putting sanctions against Azimio La Umoja One Kenya leader Raila Odinga and other leaders following Monday’s protests.
The letter came a day after Odinga announced that anti-government protests will take place twice a week — on Mondays and Thursdays — as a response to what he cited as “public demand”.
In a letter addressed to diplomatic missions based in Nairobi, United Nations Agencies and international agencies, the Ministry stated that the leaders were out to distabilize the country’s peace and security.
“The protests and destruction to property are a continuation of the opposition leader Odinga’s well known modus operandi deployed since 1997 to force extra constitutional political settlements for his own self-aggrandizement,” the Ministry stated.
According to the Ministry the mass action and threats by Odinga to storm State House is treasonous.
“Whereas the opposition leader’s call for nationwide protests, when the new government is barely six months in office and working hard to revive the economy is insensitive, Mr Oding’a encouragement of protestors tp storm State House installations including the country’s seat of the presidency is outright callous – even treasonous,” it stated.
The Ministry assured that the National Police Service (NPS) will remain vigilant “to deter the weaponization of protests for unconstitutional purposes.”
The Ministry encouraged the diplomatic missions based in Nairobi, United Nations Agencies and international agencies to be vigilant in supporting the sanctioning of any conduct adverse to the peace and security of the country.
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