Former President Uhuru Kenyatta rubbishes claims of funding Azimio protests

Retired President Uhuru Kenyatta has dismissed claims by a section of the Kenya Kwanza administration that he is behind the funding for the ongoing Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition party’s anti-government protests.

Addressing the press on Friday night after an alleged police raid at his son’s home, the seemingly agitated Uhuru slammed the President William Ruto-led regime for naming him as the financier of the demonstrations, saying the government is merely using him as a scapegoat to avoid addressing the nation’s crisis.

According to Uhuru, the government of the day has been focusing its attacks on him since he retired to avoid being held accountable by Kenyans.

When asked about funding Azimio, he said: “Maybe silence sometimes is not right…I ask myself how? The issues that Kenyans are talking about have nothing to do with me. Have you seen me at any of those events? Have you seen me talk about those events? Now they say it is because of my association with Raila.”

The ex-Head of State went ahead to challenge the Kenya Kwanza administration to focus on governance as he did during his tenure, urging them to avoid shifting blame.

“You are elected to govern in accordance with the will of the people. I am a retired person…why don’t they deal with the issues and concerns which Kenyans are raising?” Uhuru posed.

“When I was in power I was dealing with the issues Kenyans were raising.”

He, at the same time, defended his association with Azimio chief Raila Odinga, reiterating that the former premier is his friend and he cannot be blocked from communicating and associating with or supporting him.

The ex-President cited his predecessor Daniel Moi who he intimated died as a life member of the KANU party, maintaining that he cannot be blamed for supporting Odinga since the country is a democracy hence he is acting within his rights.

“It is my democratic right to support Odinga. Moi died as a life member of KANU, was there a problem with that?” He posed.

“I thought and believed we lived in a democracy, and that is why I handed over…I may not have supported this government, but I accepted the will of the people.”

The remarks by Kenyatta come amid constant pronouncements by President Ruto and his allies threatening to deal with him over his association with Odinga.