Raila Odinga full statement today!
STATEMENT ON THE LAUNCH OF MOVEMENT FOR DEFENCE OF DEMOCRACY (MDD) AGAINST THE ILLEGITIMATE RUTO REGIME — MARCH 9, 2023.
The election of 2022 handed our country an illegitimate regime that is heartless, reckless and dictatorial. Kenya Kwanza regime is dangerous for our democracy and therefore to restore the dignity of the Kenyan people and put back our country on the path to prosperity, this illegitimate regime must go.
Immediately the Kenya Kwanza regime illegally forced itself on the Kenyan people, it has embarked on measures whose effect has been to make the cost of basic commodities and services unfordable to a great segment of our population. This illegitimate regime heartlessly removed subsidies to Unga, electricity, petrol, diesel, paraffin, bus fare and school fees. This has made life unbearable to almost every Kenyan.
Ruto has instead launched a massive propaganda campaign against the subsidies program that was meant to secure the lives of millions of Kenyans from the harsh economic times.
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This is happening at a time when virtually every nation on earth has unveiled interventions to shield their citizens from the vagaries of economic decline.
Fellow Kenyans,
Two weeks ago, on the 22nd day of February 2023, we gathered at the Jevanjee Gardens and gave the illegitimate Kenya Kwanza regime a 14-day ultimatum to remove all these cruel policies and things failure to which, Kenyans take transformative actions.
At that meeting, we said that all subsidies to basic commodities must be restored and taxes must come down in 14 days. We said the process of disbanding and remaking the IEBC must stop completely because it is an exercise in futility which is null and void. We said the IEBC serves must be opened and audited within the 14 days.
And we said that if these demands are not met, we would lead Kenyans to launch MDD in a campaign of mass action and civil disobedience whose aim is to restore people’s power, choices, and sovereignty in who governs them and how.
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Fellow Kenyans,
Those 14 days elapsed last midnight with Kenya Kwanza having done absolutely nothing.
Fellow Kenyans,
Today, we make good our promise to Ruto and his illegitimate Kenya Kwanza regime.
We unleash the PEOPLE’S POWER FOR ACTION and launch the MOVEMENT FOF DEFENCE OF DEMOCRACY.
Article 37 of our Constitution provides that “every person has the right, peaceably and unarmed, to assemble, to demonstrate, to picket, and to present petitions to public authorities.”
Article 1 of our Constitution equally provides that “All sovereign power belongs to the people of Kenya and shall be exercised only in accordance with this Constitution. The people may exercise their sovereign power either directly or through their democratically elected representatives.”
We are today invoking these provisions of our constitution to launch a massive PEACEFUL movement of defiance against an
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ILLEGITIMATE, RECKLESS, HEARTLESS, INCOMPETENT Kenya Kwanza regime.
We launch the MDD because Kenya Kwanza is illegitimate and therefore incapable of listening to the cries of the people.
The people are now taking back all their delegated powers. IT IS NOW ACTION TIME.
Having consulted the public widely and extensively, today we give the much awaited directions. Subject to the constitutional provisions that gives the people the power and the right to peaceably and unarmed, assemble, demonstrate and picket, we are calling upon our supporters to action.
Fellow Kenyans,
Starting today and now, we hereby declare the official start of a countrywide mass action for the following reasons:
- The high cost of living in Kenya which is as a result of
massive looting of public resources and heartless
withdrawal of subsidies to food, fuel and education by the
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Kenya Kwanza regime in the middle of a drought and economic meltdown. To lower the cost of living and to restore the dignity of our people, Mr. Ruto must go.
- The over taxation by this illegitimate regime is killing our businesses, impoverishing families and damaging opportunities for investments. This must immediately stop for Kenya to economically recover. For this reason, Ruto must go.
- The importation of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) by Ruto and Company is a scheme to destroy the country’s food basket and to make Kenyans slaves to the American multinationals while enriching his cronies. For this reason, Ruto must go.
- The attempt by Kenya Kwanza regime to singlehandedly reconstitute the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission by forming a William Ruto Electoral Commission, is a reckless misadventure that is intended to wreck this country. The IEBC selection panel is a puppet Ruto clique that intends to create seven Chebukatis who will aid him in stealing the 2027 general elections. For this reason, Ruto must go.
5 - For electoral deceit of overthrowing the people’s will and refusing with contempt to open the servers to affirm the truth, Ruto must go.
- The victimization of Commissioners Marsit, Chereira, Nyang’aya and Wanderi for standing with the truth against Chebukati and his cabal in an electoral theft and their removal from office through a kangaroo tribunal was actually meant to create a William Ruto IEBC. For this reason, Ruto must go
- The contempt with which the Supreme court treated the Azimio One Kenya presidential petition is the epitome of judicial thuggery. From the judges’ subservient and unprofessional politically biased remarks and the recent public dalliance with Ruto, the Supreme Court judges confirm Ruto’s complete judicial capture.
- The accumulation of all powers legislative, executive and Judiciary by Ruto is the perfect definition of tyranny and dictatorship. Ruto is buying the legislature, influencing the Supreme Court and the sole executive decision maker. This is a dangerous dictator that must not be allowed even a
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single extra minute in public office. For this reason, Ruto
must go.
- In the history of Kenya, it is the first time our country is
facing a two-tribe regime. An exclusive one-tribe regime in Rwanda resorted in genocide. In 2007/2008 the security forces were unable to control the violence in Rift Valley simply because of a one sided security force. Kenya Kwanza is a one sided illegitimate regime that is planting seeds of ethnic hegemony for a future genocide in Kenya. Only two communities are getting appointed to public service. For this reason, Ruto must go. - The creation of unnecessary and unconstitutional offices in the public service including those of their spouses, daughters and sons at the expense of an already overburdened public and an empty exchequer is a cruel ploy by Ruto to reward his cronies as he continues to loot the public resources through proxies. For this reason, Ruto must go.
- Kenya has experienced unparalleled religious harmony which is the envy of the world. The attempt by
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Ruto to divide this country along religious and sectarian
lines must stop. For this reason, Ruto Must go.
- The tribalization and ethnicization of our civil service
by this illegitimate regime through targeted sacking and firing of legitimate public appointments is a career killer and recipe for future genocide. For this reason, Ruto must go. - Even though the case was stopped, the murder of the ICC witnesses did not and cannot relieve anyone of responsibility for crimes against humanity. We know only too well what Ruto is capable of doing. Kenyans will never forget the painful murder of Yebei, Gicheru and the burning of innocent children and women in a church in Kiambaa. Neither will we forget the deaths of Msando, Jacob Juma, Kinei and others. For this reason, the Butcher of Sugoi must go.
- The grabbing of public land in Ruai, section of Ngon’g forest, parts of Eldoret Municipality, parts of Lang’ata Primary, Mr. Muteshi’s farm and many other public utilities can no longer be tolerated by Kenyans. For this reason, Ruto must go.
8 - According to the public records Gachagua, who was the District officer 1 in Laikipia was summarily dismissed from office on 30th July, 1997 for gross misconduct, desertion of duty and reported mismanagement of relief food for Laikipia District. This is a clear show of unsuitability and incompetency. No wonder Gachagua has impudently alluded that Kenya is a company with shareholders whose resources are distributed discriminately on the basis of shares.
Today, we begin telling Ruto and Gachagua that we indeed we are the true shareholders in this country. All the people of Kenya are collectively shareholders in our country.
We begin telling Ruto and Gachagua that we understand that a caring government cannot emerge from an illegitimate regime like Kenya Kwanza.
We begin telling Ruto and Gachagua that we have no more patience with an illegitimate regime that is too mean-spirited and too incompetent to deploy resources for an all-out war on poverty and suffering.
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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.
We begin telling Ruto and Gachagua our clear understanding that when we keep taking painkillers long enough, they will cease killing the pain; and that is when the real pain will begin. Kenya is ripe for a people’s MDD. The process begins today, here, and now. Ruto must go.
We launch a campaign of defiance of peaceful picketing, peaceful protests, boycotts, strikes, disobedience, peaceful petitions, peaceful sit-ins and peaceful demonstrations and it begins today and NOW!
We also urge the victims of retrogressive policies of this illegitimate regime including Workers, Doctors, Teachers, Nurses, Lecturers, Students and the Business community to join this political revolution and movement for change. We are stronger together.
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As your leaders, we commit to fight, resist and defy this illegitimate regime side by side with you until our voices are heard and respected. We recognize that only through hardship and sacrifice can our cries be heard and acted on. We will be with you to the bitter end. It is action time, let us all come out, wherever we are to make our voices heard and respected.
And after we have done what we have to do, wherever we are in every corner of the country, we shall finally converge in Nairobi.
Take note that on the 20th of March 2023, we have a date with destiny in Nairobi. On that day our supporters throughout the country shall stage a massive procession in Nairobi for a legitimate and inclusive government. Save the date.
We thank you and let the action begin. The MOVEMENT FOR DEFENCE FOR DEMOCRACY HAS NOW STARTED!
