ODM Rallies Youth to Join Wednesday Protests, Defends Raila Against ‘Betrayer’ Tag
The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has called on the youth to turn out in large numbers for the planned commemoration of the Gen Z protestors who lost their lives during last year’s anti-government demonstrations.
The anniversary, set for Wednesday, June 25, will be marked through protests across the country in memory of the young lives lost while pushing for change.
In a statement signed by Secretary General Edwin Sifuna, the party defended its leader, Raila Odinga, against criticism from a recent The Standard headline titled Gen Z Betrayers, which suggested that Odinga’s decision to collaborate with the government—alongside activist Kasmuel McOure—was a betrayal of the youth movement. ODM dismissed the label as misguided and reiterated its support for the protests.
‘‘As we draw close to the anniversary of the Gen Z protests, we urge Kenyans of goodwill to uphold national unity and ignore those who seek to divide us. The Party has for a long time been an advocate and practitioner of peaceful protest and change, and we urge all those who will turn out to commemorate the anniversary this Wednesday to fearlessly stand on the side of freedom and democracy and the right to protest as enshrined in the constitution,’’ the statement read.
Meanwhile, the party slammed the publication, which has in recent months been running blistering newspaper headlines against the government and its perceived associations, maintaining that it has a hidden agenda to force Raila into forcing the party to support the political positions of the ownership of the media outlet.
According to ODM, it was misleading and unfair for the publication to label them as betrayers, especially given the historical context of last year’s Gen Z protests. The party noted that the demonstrations were a spontaneous movement by young Kenyans demanding their rights—particularly the withdrawal of the Finance Bill 2024—and were not aligned to any political formation or leader.
ODM maintained that recognising and supporting the spirit of those protests does not amount to betrayal but rather a continued stand for constitutional freedoms.
Further, the party maintained that it is not part of the government, stating that their current partnership is only trained at ensuring the sustenance of peace and democracy, despite the condemnation.
Additionally, ODM stated that it was in bad taste for the Mombasa Road-based publication to consistently run a narrative it claimed was against its tenets as a political outfit.
‘‘We have stated time without number that ODM is not part of the Kenya Kwanza government.. Whatever stability frameworks we enter into for the sustenance of a peaceful nation and democracy, they do not amount to joining the government. It is, therefore, in really bad taste for the Standard to consistently run this narrative, knowing it is false. The journalistic tenet of truth, honesty, and fairness cannot be sacrificed for political points,’’ it added.
‘‘The leadership of ODM and the entire party refuses to be intimidated and railroaded by partisan propaganda disguised as journalism. We particularly reject what appears to be the undeclared rules that seem to govern the Standard’s coverage and treatment of the party’s leader, Rt. Hon. Raila Odinga, whose sole aim is to distort the public’s view of him and to force him into a political direction of the company’s ownership.’’
Meanwhile, the government has ruled out any form of street protests despite a wave of online mobilisation by youth planning peaceful marches in memory of Gen Z protesters who lost their lives during last year’s anti-government demonstrations.
Government Spokesperson Isaac Mwaura, speaking during a morning radio show on Monday, maintained that no protests would be permitted on June 25, citing the need to ensure normal functioning of the economy and public order. He stressed that those wishing to commemorate the day were free to do so from their homes.
“There will be no demonstrations on June 25, and that day will be a normal day. Anyone who wishes to commemorate it is free to do so from their home,” Mwaura stated.
The Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary, Korir Sing’Oei, has dismissed a joint statement by foreign envoys calling for the government to back off and allow Kenyans to exercise their rights to protest.
Responding to the statement, Sing’Oei maintained that even though the right to picket needs to be protected, the government would still take a stance against any “weaponisation” of the protests.
As such, he stated that any reports of the same would be met with condemnation, alluding that the police officers would still be disbursed to quell the protests as Kenyans plan to commemorate victims of last year’s anti-finance bill protests.
“Thank you for the statement. Democratic protest must be protected, but any weaponisation of protests to achieve extra-constitutional objectives must be met with strong condemnation. Kenya’s stability is paramount,” he stated.
In the statement cosigned by 12 foreign envoys, they warned Kenya against violence against protesters and the rampant infiltration of the protests by masked police officers and hired goons.
“We are troubled by the use of hired ‘goons’ to infiltrate or disrupt peaceful gatherings. Protecting the right to protest is vital to preserving civic space and a cornerstone of Kenya’s vibrant democracy,” the statement reads in part.
“The use of plainclothes officers in unmarked vehicles erodes public trust and was ruled unlawful by the High Court. We urge full compliance with this ruling."
Besides the PS, National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula has also met with the acting US Ambassador Mark Dillard, assuring him that the government would uphold the rights of its citizens during the protests.
On Wednesday, June 25, Kenyans have planned a commemorative protest to honour the victims of last year’s anti-finance bill protests, who passed on due to injuries inflicted mostly by the police.
Activists and civil society members have even declared the day a public holiday to mark the one-year anniversary of the protests, but the government has remained adamant that there will be no such thing.
During the Tuesday, June 17, protests, police brutality was also put on display as masked officers fired at protestors and lobbed tear gas canisters at others.
Unfortunately, the most brutal outcome of the protests was the shooting of one Boniface Kariuki in the head with a suspected rubber bullet. He is still admitted to the Kenyatta National Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
A section of youth from Kisumu County and the Nyanza region have withdrawn from the much-anticipated June 25 protests meant to commemorate those who lost their lives during last year’s demonstrations.
Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, the youth stated that while the protests were initially intended to be peaceful, they have allegedly been hijacked by individuals attempting to incite chaos, and they are dissociating themselves from such acts.
Tuesday, June 24 edition of the Standard newspaper exposing how the government allegedly plans to scuttle the June 25 protests with an insert of Senior State House official Dennis Itumbi.
In the exposé, the Standard detailed how the government, with the blessings from the house on the hill, aims to bring chaos to the protests through various strategies such as the mobilisation of goons and the generation of propaganda via digital media.
While uncovering the alleged plan, The Standard revealed messages in WhatsApp groups allegedly run by government bloggers and officials, the UDA Secretariat, and parastatal chiefs detailing how they intend to scuttle the planned peaceful protests.
The Standard unearthed how the network extended from senior State House officials, Members of Parliament, government officials, and Members of County Assembly (MCAs), to grassroots mobilisers in some of Nairobi’s informal settlements.
In addition, they disclosed how the National Police Service (NPS) was allegedly privy to the situation despite previously assuring protesters of their safety during the protests.
Key to the plan was the deployment of hired goons to bring violence and chaos to the protests. In the story, the Standard disclosed how the plan was to target women to bring fear, and also steal phones to avoid the documentation of the protests.
In protests held in honour of Albert Ojwang on Tuesday, June 17, stick-wielding goons infiltrated the demonstrations, robbing civilians and looting shops. The goons were believed to have the backing of police, who were seen turning a blind eye to their activities.
However, some groups took it upon themselves to restore order, unleashing disciplinary action on the goons, with some individuals leaving the protests with broken limbs and head injuries.
The June 25 protests are set to be held in honour of Gen Zs who lost their lives during last year’s anti-Finance Bill demonstrations. Leading the protests are families of the fallen Gen Zs and notable activists.
The demonstrations will mainly take place in Nairobi’s Central Business District, although reports indicate they may also occur in other parts of the country.
“It has come to our attention that the noble cause that started with a clear agenda of agitating for the youth has been hijacked by the bloodthirsty politicians and the commercialised activists that want to bring anarchy to our country,” one of the youths said.
“As Kisumu County youths, as Nyanza Youths, we are saying that we are refraining from tomorrow’s protests; we are not part of it and are requesting all other youths from Kisumu to do the same because whatever they have planned is not a protest but a civil coup,” the youths continued.
The youths have urged their mates in the county to stay at home and continue with their daily economic activities and stay away from the streets.
They are of the opinion that certain politicians and activists are attempting to exploit the youth’s frustrations to advance their own personal agendas.
Another Youth Representative of Kondele Ward reiterated these sentiments and asked all Gen Zs, not just from Kisumu Count,y but from the entire country, to choose peace and forfeit the protests.
According to the representative, the region has suffered a lot of loss due to previous demonstrations and deserves a rest from chaos, which they believe will be witnessed on Wednesday.
The call by the youth comes after The Standard publication exposed an inside plan to sabotage the protests, cause chaos, and even kill some of the protestors who will show up on the streets on June 25.
In the exposé, The Standard accused several social media influencers of planning to orchestrate chaos during the protests through various strategies such as the mobilisation of goons and the generation of propaganda via digital media.
Meanwhile, other leaders like Embakasi East MP Babu Owino have urged Gen Zs to continue with the planned protests. Babu has encouraged the youths not to relent and champion for their rights.
Youths have planned to hold protests on June 25 in honour of those who lost their lives in last year’s ‘Occupy Parliament’ protests. The youths are set to lay flowers for the fallen Gen Z, then proceed to the state house to demand justice over the continued cases of police brutality.
We shall be there
A secret plot to disrupt Gen Zs protests has been exposed, involving top State House officials, Rift Valley MPs, UDA staff and parastatal chiefs using hired goons and police brutality.
I am from Athùsi matatu terminus.
Apparently, the stage is closed tommorow because the day has officially been branded a Gen Z Day.
There will be no public transport to and from Ukambani.
Mayi imezidi unga.
Unless you are picketing tomorrow, keep off the Central Business District.
It will sing without a plate.
street vibes
Ruto has assured police officers of the government’s unwavering support in their efforts to maintain national security and protect citizens.
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Netblocks, an international group that tracks internet activity, says Telegram has been restricted in Kenya, as protests erupted on Wednesday, June 25, across several areas of the country.
“Confirmed: Live metrics show restrictions to the messaging platform Telegram in Kenya are now in effect,” Netblocks said.
In their observation, Netblocks noted the restriction of Telegram, which is highly popular in the country, across major Internet Service Providers (ISPs).
The latest comes amidst fears of a wider internet shutdown in the country, which would result in widespread communication disruption, particularly through the digital realm.
This is not the first time Telegram has been restricted in Kenya. In November last year, restrictions were witnessed, seemingly being prompted by the commencement of the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams.
Users across the country reported receiving several error messages while trying to interact with the app, including a “Connecting” error when trying to access the Telegram desktop.
The observation came just moments after the Communication Authority of Kenya (CA) issued a directive to all TV and radio stations to stop the live coverage of the June 25 protests.
CA later acted upon its directive, storming the NTV and KTN transmission stations, deactivating the free-to-air signal, and taking them off air.
In separate statements, both news houses confirmed that this was a result of them continuing to broadcast the live coverage of the protests despite an order from the Authority.
Currently, protests in the Central Business District in Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisii and other major towns across the country have taken root, with police engaged in running battles with protesters.
The protests, held in honour of Gen Zs who lost their lives in last year’s anti-Finance Bill demos, have led to injuries on both the protesters’ and police’s sides, with emerging reports indicating loss of lives on the side of the protesters.
Kenya police battle protesters demanding president’s resignation
Summary
- Police and thousands of protesters engage in running battles in Kenya’s capital Nairobi and other cities
- At least 50 people injured, the BBC understands
- Protesters demand the president’s resignation
- Live TV and radio coverage of the protests has been banned and some stations taken off air
- President Ruto orders police to secure the nation and protect lives
- Police warn against attempts to storm the president’s office and parliament
- Schools and businesses are closed for fear of violence
President William Ruto and ODM leader Raila Odinga left Nairobi for Kilifi on a day when protests rocked the capital city.
Protester fights off a police officer on Thika Road
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