Kenyan police fire teargas as hundreds protest against president and cost of living
Opposition leader Raila Odinga has called for nationwide protests against President William Ruto, whom he accuses of cheating in 2022’s election
20 March 2023 - 14:46
byHumphrey Malalo and Ayenat Mersie
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A Riot police officer kicks a teargas canister to disperse supporters of Kenya's opposition leader Raila Odinga of the Azimio La Umoja (Declaration of Unity) One Kenya Alliance, as they participate in a nationwide protest over cost of living and President William Ruto's government in downtown Nairobi, Kenya on March 20 2023. Picture: REUTERS/THOMAS MUKOYA
Nairobi — Kenyan police fired teargas and arrested several senior opposition politicians on Monday as hundreds of people protested against President William Ruto, the high cost of living, and claims of cheating in 2022’s election.
Raila Odinga, who lost to Ruto in August’s poll, has urged nationwide protests as he attempts to harness dissatisfaction with the president.
The discontented include some of those who voted for Ruto and feel he has not delivered on pledges to help the country’s forgotten “hustlers,” or working-class Kenyans.
Police officers in riot gear fired teargas at hundreds of rock-throwing protesters in the capital Nairobi’s vast Kibera slum, who chanted: “Ruto must go.”
The police also used teargas to disperse demonstrators trying to gather in the central business district, from where Odinga has called for a march towards the president’s State House residence.
In the western city of Kisumu, an Odinga stronghold, police fired barrages of teargas at protesters who had started fires in the road, footage on Citizen TV showed.
At least four MPs were arrested during protests in Nairobi, including the minority leaders of the National Assembly and Senate, Odinga’s spokesperson Dennis Onyango said.
Nairobi police chief Adamson Bungei said he would have details about the arrests later in the day.
Despite Ruto’s promises to bring down living costs since taking power in September, inflation has remained high in East Africa’s economic powerhouse, rising to 9.2% in February.
Ruto has said his government is laying the foundations of a healthier economy, including by cutting reliance on borrowing.
Odinga, who has lost five presidential elections, has cast the demonstration as an opportunity to protest the August vote, which he says was tainted by fraud.
He challenged the results in the supreme court in 2022, but the court affirmed Ruto’s win and there was little of the violence that marred elections in 2007 and 2017.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
Kenyan police fire teargas as hundreds protest against president and cost of living
Opposition leader Raila Odinga has called for nationwide protests against President William Ruto, whom he accuses of cheating in 2022’s election
Nairobi — Kenyan police fired teargas and arrested several senior opposition politicians on Monday as hundreds of people protested against President William Ruto, the high cost of living, and claims of cheating in 2022’s election.
Raila Odinga, who lost to Ruto in August’s poll, has urged nationwide protests as he attempts to harness dissatisfaction with the president.
The discontented include some of those who voted for Ruto and feel he has not delivered on pledges to help the country’s forgotten “hustlers,” or working-class Kenyans.
Police officers in riot gear fired teargas at hundreds of rock-throwing protesters in the capital Nairobi’s vast Kibera slum, who chanted: “Ruto must go.”
The police also used teargas to disperse demonstrators trying to gather in the central business district, from where Odinga has called for a march towards the president’s State House residence.
In the western city of Kisumu, an Odinga stronghold, police fired barrages of teargas at protesters who had started fires in the road, footage on Citizen TV showed.
At least four MPs were arrested during protests in Nairobi, including the minority leaders of the National Assembly and Senate, Odinga’s spokesperson Dennis Onyango said.
Nairobi police chief Adamson Bungei said he would have details about the arrests later in the day.
Despite Ruto’s promises to bring down living costs since taking power in September, inflation has remained high in East Africa’s economic powerhouse, rising to 9.2% in February.
Ruto has said his government is laying the foundations of a healthier economy, including by cutting reliance on borrowing.
Odinga, who has lost five presidential elections, has cast the demonstration as an opportunity to protest the August vote, which he says was tainted by fraud.
He challenged the results in the supreme court in 2022, but the court affirmed Ruto’s win and there was little of the violence that marred elections in 2007 and 2017.
Reuters
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