'Release your employees to participate in Monday protest,' Wandayi tells employers

Ugunja Member of Parliament (MP) and Minority leader in the National Assembly Opiyo Wandayi has asked employers to release their employees to participate in the March 20 mass action called by the opposition chief Raila Odinga.

Speaking at parliament buildings to address the level of preparedness ahead of the much-anticipated demos, Wandayi told employers that their employees will have a duty to perform that day.

“Employers from all sectors should release their employees and allow them to participate in the national duty. We expect that the employers will understand that their employees will be having a national duty to perform that day,” said Wandayi.

The Ugunja legislature also hit at President Ruto for warning Raila against holding demos that will paralyse business operations in the country saying that is the work of the police.

“The call by Mr. Ruto that Raila should agree with the police on how to go about the demonstration is uncalled for. The police know their duty which is to protect lives and properties of Kenyans,” he said.

“It is not the work of Raila Odinga or anyone else in Azimio to help them do their work,” Wandayi added.

While reading a statement on behalf of the parliamentary group of Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition Party, Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna said that the March 20 march is necessary and that it will help restore the dignity of Kenyans being treated with utter contempt by Ruto’s administration.

“The March is a necessary last resort aimed at restoring the dignity of our people who are being treated by utter contempt by the Kenya Kwanza regime,” he said.

“With the march, we want to make it clear to the regime that the government must be about the people and must work for the people,” Sifuna added.

While addressing his supporters in Siaya over the weekend, Azimio la Umoja leader Raila Odinga also declared Monday, March 20, a public holiday to “allow Kenyans to participate in the planned demos.”

"We do not want any kind of violence or bloodshed. It is going to be peaceful and I have also said that we do not want any handshake. We are only doing this because it is the only alternative that we have,” he said.