Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga has condemned the recent violence and looting that marred what began as peaceful protests by young Kenyans expressing discontent with the government.
In a press statement released on July 3, Odinga lamented that what started as orderly demonstrations by Gen Z protestors degenerated into chaos.
He cited incidents of looting, attacks on innocent civilians, and destruction of critical infrastructure, diverging sharply from the peaceful intent of the initial protests.
“There are reports of innocent women being harassed and raped in some parts of the country,” Odinga stated.
“The scenes of people looting, vandalizing, and robbing were different from what was witnessed at the start of the protests when the Gen Z were in complete control of the process and its programs,” he added.
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Odinga acknowledged previous condemnations of police brutality against peaceful protestors and reiterated the need for accountability from security officers.
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“I extend deep sympathy to the families who’ve suffered at the hands of looters posing as Gen Z protestors,” he said.
“Innocent people have seen their business premises broken into, their products looted, and now face the reality of being worse off than before the protests,” he added.
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Additionally, Odinga praised the initial protestors for their efforts to highlight injustices in the country and demonstrate that protests can be peaceful and effective.
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He criticized those who hijacked the demonstrations, turning them into a violent spree that betrayed the youth’s original intentions.
“For thugs to hijack the protests and turn them into mayhem against innocent Kenyans amounts to a double betrayal of the youth. The bad manners have to be stopped,” Odinga asserted.
The former Prime Minister called for immediate action to restore order and ensure that the genuine concerns of young Kenyans are addressed without resorting to violence and criminal behavior.
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