Piece by: EMMANUEL WANJALA

17 July 2023

• Businessman Martin Gitau through Lawyer Adrian Kamotho had moved to court seeking to stop mass protests announced by Azimio Coalition Leader Raila Odinga.

• He said the protests would bring businesses to a standstill and extremely paralyse the transport system as happened during the Saba Saba protests.

The planned Azimio protests slated for Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday have been rejected by the High Court.

Through Attorney Adrian Kamotho, a businessman named Martin Gitau filed a lawsuit in an effort to halt the widespread demonstrations that Azimio Coalition leader Raila Odinga had called for.

Justice Lawrence Mugambi set the hearing date for July 21 and ordered that the application and petition be filed within the following three days, along with the responses, which must be submitted within 10 days.

"Further documentation/replying affidavit by the petitioner be filed and served within 10 days," Justice Mugambi ordered.

Gitau stated in his petition that he fears that if the court does not step in, the protest organisers would continue their illegal course of violent protests to the detriment of the majority of law-abiding residents who deserve to go about their everyday lives without interruption.

He named the respondents as being Raila, the late President Uhuru Kenyatta, the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), and Azimio La Umoja of the One Kenya Coalition Party.

According to him, just as happened during the Saba Saba riots, the protests would completely paralyse the transit system and put an end to business as usual.

"What followed on July 7 was demonstrations characterised by catastrophic violence, tragic chaos, and ruinous destruction of both private and public property," Gitau told court.

Azimio praised the court's ruling and urged its supporters to attend the three days of protests in force.

"The Court has refused to stop maandamano as requested by Kenya Kwanza through surrogate petitioner Martin Gitau. Tukutane Wednesday, Thursday na Friday," Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna said.

With the contested Finance Act of 2023, the opposition has called for protests to put pressure on the Kenya Kwanza government to reduce living expenses and eliminate what it has dubbed punitive taxes.

On Monday, the coalition warned President William Ruto and his allies that unless food prices were reduced, no Kenyans would take to the streets.

"People want food, people don't eat government, legitimate or illegitimate. Give them food and they will leave the streets," Minority leader Opiyo Wandayi said during a press conference at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Foundation in Upper Hill, Nairobi.