‘We will mobilize all resources, no one should blame me’: Ruto warns ahead of Azimio demos

President William Ruto now says his administration will not allow the opposition to hide behind the constitutional provisions on demonstrations to destroy livelihood and property.

President Ruto said the government will not continue watching a few individuals take advantage of the constitutional provisions to cause anarchy and kill the economy and business of Kenyans in the name of protests.

Speaking at Oriwo Boys High School in Karachuonyo Constituency during the thanksgiving ceremony of Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo, the Head of State reiterated that the government is going to mobilize available resources to protect the lives of Kenyans.

“We are going to have a candid conversation about what amounts to the demonstration because we cannot continue to use the excuse of demos to destroy public or private property, businesses, to cause mayhem and anarchy; that is not what the Constitution of Kenya envisaged,” he said.

“Siasa inaendeshawa na sera, sio maandamano. I want to reassure Kenyans that we will mobilize every resource to protect the property, lives and interests of every Kenyan as we go forward."

The President, who was accompanied by his deputy Rigathi Gachagua and other senior government officials and elected leaders, said the country needs to have national conversations on how demonstrations should be conducted to stop destroying the economy of the country.

"As a nation, we must forge unity of purpose and agree that it is not going to be business as usual and we are not going to use certain provisions of the Constitution to destroy property and cause mayhem; the same Constitution mandates government protect lives and property and interests of all other Kenyans," he said. 

He warned the Raila Odinga-led opposition Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition party to prepare for a tough war ahead of their planned three-day demonstrations next week.

"I respect everyone and no one should blame me when I begin doing my work. Nitafanya kazi yangu kwa bidii tena," the president noted.

"Or else, we must have a conversation to understand want is maandamano."

Ruto assured Kenyans that there will be no demonstrations next week, adding that the perpetrators are merely using the protests to pursue their own selfish interests at the expense of Kenyans.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Prof. Kithure Kindiki, who was also present, reiterated that he will not allow national security to be compromised by demonstrations marred with violence and destruction of property by some few individuals who are pursuing their own selfish gains.