Kenya opposition protests pause for talks: everything you need to know

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By Webdesk


Nairobi, Kenya – On Sunday night, Kenyan opposition leader Raila Odinga suspended biweekly nationwide protests over the skyrocketing cost of living and the alleged rigging of the 2022 presidential election to allow dialogue with the government.

The move came after President William Ruto earlier on Sunday urged Odinga to end demonstrations that he said led to three deaths and more than 400 injuries, including security personnel.

Odinga accepted Ruto’s invitation for dialogue, but warned that strikes could resume within a week if talks fail.

Here’s everything you need to know about the protests and what happens next.

Why have there been protests?

Since January 23, Odinga has held a series of nationwide rallies calling on his supporters to reject the current government.

He gave the Ruto administration a 14-day ultimatum on Feb. 22 to address the rise in the cost of living and publish data from the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) server for the August 2022 vote. After the period passed without the government complying with his demands, he announced March 20 as the first day of civil disobedience.

Thousands of Kenyans heeded the veteran opposition leader’s calls for anti-government protests on Monday and Thursday, holding three rallies – despite a government ban on demonstrations.

There are two main reasons for the protests: rising costs of living and alleged electoral malpractice in the August 2022 elections.

Rising cost of living

Odinga has criticized the government for removing existing subsidies on basic commodities such as fuel and maize meal, Kenya’s staple food, describing it as “reckless and callous”.

“The subsidies should be restored and the cost of commodities and taxes should come down in the next 14 days,” Odinga said at one of his meetings.

Ruto’s decision to remove the subsidies after taking office has contributed to an increase in the cost of basic products and he has maintained that he will not reintroduce them.

“It is economically unsustainable and intended to benefit the well-connected business class, but not the Kenyans who are suffering,” he said. “We’ve saved our economy a huge amount of money by getting rid of subsidies. We’re not going back to subsidies.”

The president instead proposed fertilizer subsidies to boost food production and ultimately reduce production costs.

Electricity costs also rose 63 percent after the energy regulator approved higher rates. Taxes have also been increased.

“We have complained about rising taxes and talked about children dropping out of school due to lack of school fees,” Odinga said.

Alleged electoral malpractice

Odinga’s loss to Ruto in August 2022 was the 78-year-old’s fifth loss at the polls. Odinga contested the results and went to the Supreme Court, which upheld the election results.

He has refused to recognize Ruto’s presidency, insisting there was electoral malpractice, citing a split in the IEBC and whistleblowing evidence.

The opposition has demanded reforms of the IEBC.

On Sunday, Ruto said a bipartisan committee to select new IEBC commissioners could be formed in the national assembly, in line with opposition demands.

Odinga agreed, but insisted that the commission be set up immediately.

“This committee should be formed with immediate effect with strict deadlines for resolving the crisis facing the country. We are canceling our demonstrations for Monday, but we want to emphasize that we reserve the right to call demonstrations if this process does not bear fruit,” said Odinga.

Odinga also demanded the release and end of prosecution of anyone arrested during the protests.

On Monday, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Noordin Haji withdrew a case against opposition leaders accused of participating in the illegal demonstration and deliberate property damage.

Publish IEBC server data

In January, Odinga said he had received a leaked file from an IEBC whistleblower showing he had garnered 8,170,355 votes ahead of his rival’s reported 5,919,973 votes.

According to official results released by IEBC boss Wafula Chebukati, Ruto received 7,176,141 votes to Odinga’s 6,942,930 votes.

Odinga now wants IEBC’s server results made public.

He said his team had conducted a thorough investigation and gathered sufficient evidence about the electoral irregularities.

During the announcement of the presidential results last August, four IEBC commissioners distanced themselves from the results, saying the verification process was opaque.

Thereafter, three resigned, while the last was removed for abuse of office.

A process of reforming a panel to recruit new commissioners began, but the opposition distanced itself from the process, saying the ruling party was cramming it with supporters.

Odinga made other demands, including ensuring ethnic and regional balance in state and civil service appointments; and definitively rejecting plans to import genetically modified food and seeds.

What has been the effect of protests?

Ruto’s statement on Sunday noted the effect of the protests in the country, saying that unnamed people had taken advantage of the demonstrations to wreak havoc.

He said three Kenyans, including a police officer, were killed during the protests. Human rights groups say at least six people have died in Kisumu alone, the fortress town of Odinga. More than 400 Kenyans were injured in the protests, including at least 60 security officers.

Two places of worship have burned down. Shops, supermarkets and a mortuary were looted and police vehicles were set on fire or hijacked.

The country’s economy was hit hard as many businesses remained closed during the protest days.

What has the government done?

On Sunday, Ruto called for a ceasefire and asked the opposition leader to call off further protests and give dialogue a chance.

“During this period, lives have been lost, people injured, property looted or destroyed, the economy suffered and our image as a nation tarnished… In times like these, it’s not about who’s right or who’s wrong” , he noted.

On the rising cost of living, Ruto said the government had ordered food imports to arrive later this month. He urged farmers to sell their food before the batches arrived.

He addressed Odinga’s demand for a bipartisan commitment in parliament on the reform of the IEBC panel, “within the parameters of the law”.

But he did not promise to disclose IEBC’s server data, only saying that the Supreme Court upheld his election victory.

Odinga agreed to call off Monday’s mass action, but demanded the immediate release of those arrested and prosecuted in connection with the protests. Charges against four opposition MPs were dropped on Monday.

What happens now?

Dialogue is expected to begin between the government and the opposition to meet the opposition’s demands.

A bipartisan committee, supported by experts, will be formed to select IEBC Commissioners. During the dialogue, parliament will be suspended and no protests will take place.

If an agreement is reached, demonstrations will be called off completely. However, if there were to be a standoff, Odinga has said protests will resume. That could be Thursday or next week.



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