Politics

16 March 2023

• Speaking in Nakuru on Thursday, Raila said he never held any meeting in Karen with Luo leaders to work on the modalities to disrupt businesses.

• "I saw Dennis Itumbi had written yesterday that I had a meeting to plan how we will invade Kikuyu-owned businesses. That is total nonsense," Raila said.

Raila Odinga, the Azimio leader has dismissed as mere propaganda allegations by CAS nominee Dennis Itumbi that there are plans to invade businesses during Monday's mass action in Nairobi.

Speaking in Nakuru on Thursday, Raila said he never held any meeting in Karen with Luo leaders to work on the modalities to disrupt businesses.

"I saw Dennis Itumbi had written yesterday that I had a meeting to plan how we will invade Kikuyu-owned businesses. That is total nonsense," Raila said.

"Nataka wafanyibiasaha wakikuyu wasiwe na wasiwasi yoyote. Wasihangaishwe na hiyo porojo, sisi tutalinda biashara ya kila mtu," he added.

(I want Kikuyu businessmen not to be scared. Let them not be disturbed by the propaganda, we are going to protect everyone's business)

Itumbi on Wednesday wrote on his Facebook page that Raila was meeting Luo Nyanza MPs at the home of one of the MPs in Karen to plan for the Monday mass action.

He claimed among the agenda was to plan for a Road Show in Nairobi on Saturday and Sunday to mobilise supporters for the demos and destructive chaos.

"The plan is to invade "Kikuyu" business in Riveroad, Tom Mboya, and Moi Avenue.." So as to drive police to that side as the second group uses the Sagret route to access State House," Itumbi said.

"A third group will invade Nyayo House where Energy and Immigration offices are housed 6. The idea is to create 360 degrees of chaos," he added.

Raila's itinerary released on Tuesday shows that he would not have any political activity over the weekend.

" The Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition has made changes to the week’s itinerary ahead of Monday 20th March as follows; Thursday 16th March-Nakuru County; Friday 17th March-Kiambu County," the ODM said in a statement.

Raila said he has no intention of disrupting businesses belonging to the Kikuyu business community since they equally voted for him.

"Sisi hatuwezi kuharibu biashara ya mtu yeyote. Sisi tunataka kuboresha uchumi. Tunataka kueneza ajira kwa wakenya, hatuwezi kwenda kuharibu biashara ya mtu mdogo."

(We cannot destroy anyone's business. We want to improve the economy. We want to create employment for Kenyans, we cannot go and destroy businesses belonging to small people)

Raila said he has no problem with small or big businesses, his problem is with President Ruto's government na tutaonana na wao ana kwa ana (we shall meet face-to-face).

While launching the Movement for Defence of Democracy on Thursday last week, Raila said the mass action will be peaceful and devoid of any bloodshed.

He assured Kenyans that the defiance will be in form of peaceful picketing, peaceful protests, boycotts, strikes, disobedience, peaceful petitions, peaceful sit-ins and peaceful demonstrations.

"We have no more patience for an illegitimate regime of hypocrites and fake humanitarianism. We begin telling Ruto and Gachagua that we can’t keep living on false promises," he said.