On February 27, 2023, former Prime Minister Raila Odinga announced to his supporters that they would march to the State House in 10 days.
Addressing a crowd in Kitale town, Trans Nzoia County, Raila encouraged his supporters to come out in large numbers for the march.
“When we call you, will you come to Nairobi? Will you come? Will you come? Again, I want you not to have fear or worry. We understand each other very well, and we will continue to understand each other well. We will make a big impression, and you will come,” said Odinga.
At the time, the former Prime Minister had issued a 14-day ultimatum to President William Ruto’s government, demanding action on the high cost of living, alleged electoral injustices from the 2022 presidential election, and the uneven distribution of state jobs. This ultimatum was set to expire on March 8, 2023.
Raila Odinga Vows to March to Statehouse
Odinga argued that President Ruto’s government had failed to address the high cost of living and labeled it as illegitimate, claiming the 2022 general elections were conducted fraudulently.
He called for the opening of election servers and an audit of the election results by an independent, reputable firm. Consequently, Odinga called for march to the State House with his supporters to present their grievances to the President.
Odinga was also frustrated by President Ruto’s appointment of several Cabinet Administrative Secretaries (CAS), arguing that this created an unnecessary burden on taxpayers who were already facing higher taxes.
“We state categorically that this is not the time to create offices and positions for Kenya Kwanza political rejects and crooks,” Raila stated.
His sentiments were echoed by his co-principals in the Azimio coalition, Martha Karua and Kalonzo Musyoka.
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Martha Karua stated that Kenyans have the right to march to the State House, provided that they would do it peacefully.
“And there are only 10 days left, not 20, and they must know that Kenyans have the power to do this peacefully. We love our country and do not want to harm people, but every Kenyan must receive their rights,” said Karua.
On his part, Kalonzo Musyoka stated that the protests would be peaceful.
Government Thwarts Azimio’s Leader’s plan to March to Statehouse
However, on March 20, 2023, the date Odinga and his supporters were supposed to march to the State House, the government’s plans thwarted their efforts.
A heavy contingent of police officers was deployed in Nairobi, particularly around key areas like the Central Business District (CBD) and routes leading to the State House. Anti-riot police and General Service Unit (GSU) officers were stationed to block protesters from advancing toward the highly secured government installation.
Tear gas and water cannons were used to disperse crowds in Nairobi’s CBD and other areas where Azimio supporters gathered, preventing them from organizing a cohesive march toward the State House.
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Major roads leading to the State House, such as State House Road and Dennis Pritt Road, were barricaded by police, and security checkpoints were established to restrict access.
However, Raila Odinga’s protests ultimately led to the formation of the National Dialogue Committee and the creation of the NADCO report.
The intensity of the protests and the unrest experienced within other parts of the country pressured the government into bipartisan talks, which produced the report as a framework to address the opposition’s demands concerning electoral justice, governance, and socioeconomic issues.
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