'We will bring down President Ruto’s system,’ Raila vows as he declares start of public rallies

Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition party leader Raila Odinga now says his camp is planning to launch countrywide demonstrations to oppose President William Ruto’s administration.

Mr. Odinga accuses President Ruto of a ploy to rig the 2027 elections following the suspension of the four IEBC commissioners as well as what he terms as skewed public appointments.

Speaking after meeting Azimio leaders from Nairobi County on Friday, Mr. Odinga asked his supporters to converge at the Kamukunji grounds on Wednesday next week for the start of public rallies.

“On the 7th of December, at the historic Kamukunji grounds here in Nairobi, we will launch public consultations with the people of Kenya to brainstorm on the direction the country is taking,” he stated.

“We will return to the Kamukunji grounds on 12th December to continue with these consultations on the state of the Kenyan nation and also to have a prayer for democracy in our country which is right now under threat by this administration.”

Mr. Odinga, whose popularity stems from his historical fight for multipartysm in the country, gave an account of his struggle pointing out that the President’s recent actions are a reflection of the post-colonial era.

He hence cautioned the Head of State against indirectly plotting to re-introduce the pre-colonial systems of governance, vowing to mobilize his supporters to reject the Kenya Kwanza regime.

“Those who witnessed this era with me should tell our young people the painful struggle it took to get the freedom we have today. Let’s share our eyewitness accounts and experiences of that era with our children. There is a real danger that we are heading back to the 1980s,” he said.

“We should be ready and willing to work with those sections of our society that have always stood up for the nation when perils reared their head; the civil society, faith leaders, the academia and workers' unions.”

He added: “We wish to remind Mr Ruto that this country has had a system like the one he is trying to reinvent. We fought that system. We brought down that system. We will do so to the one he is inventing now. We will bring it down…Let us all stand up for our country before it is too late.”

The former premier thus implored his supporters to rally behind him, saying unity will help to forge a better nation before it becomes too late.

“I would not wish any Kenyan to go through what some of us have been through. But I am fearing for Kenya. I am fearing for my country. We have to stand up now because later will be too late,” said the ODM party boss.

“That’s why from today, we announce the launch of that pushback we talked about a few days ago.”

The remarks by Mr. Odinga follow President Ruto’s directive to suspend the four under fire IEBC officials; Vice Chairperson Juliana Cherera, as well as Commissioners Francis Wanderi, Irene Masit and Justus Nyang’aya – who resigned on Friday.

Mr. Odinga also tied his argument to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Noordin Haji’s recent move to drop some of the court cases tied to some of the President’s Cabinet officials such as Public Service CS Aisha Jumwa.

“The criminal justice system is collapsing. That is why cases are rapidly being dropped, criminals being celebrated and turned into prosecution witnesses,” he remarked.