A section of political leaders from the Luo Nyanza has called on Azimio leaders to call off planned countrywide protests and rallies, saying the move could destabilise the country.
The leaders, calling themselves Luo Professionals, said the rallies could potentially descend into chaos and violence leading to loss of life, disruption of businesses and interference with the ongoing examinations.
Former Rangwe MP Martin Ogindo said the rallies and protests are untimely, unnecessary, unjustified and against the prevailing peaceful mood in the country.
He said they will only serve to divide the country and plunge it into an economic turmoil at a time it is slowly recovering from effects of Covid-19 pandemic.
On Sunday, Azimio La Umoja leader Raila Odinga said they will hold countrywide rallies to seek opinions from the public on the petition to remove four IEBC commissioners.
Speaking in Kisumu, the ODM leader said the rallies will begin in major cities and spread out to other towns.
However, Mr Ogindo has implored Mr Odinga to see sense and call off the rallies, saying they are untimely, unnecessary, unjustified and against the mood of the country.
He called on the leaders to use alternative avenues like Parliament or the courts to lodge their dissatisfaction over the handling of the four commissioners.
“We want to urge Kenya youth to resist being misused for selfish interests but push to be gainfully engaged. We want to bring to an end the perpetual misuse of the youth and therefore, we cannot afford to engage in any ill-informed demonstrations,” he said.
Former Kisumu Governor Jack Ranguma added that the timing of the rallies is not right, pleading with the leaders to embrace peace for the sake of stability of the country.
“We must resist anything that will take us back as a country because of self-interest. Our youth must now move away from routine demos,” he said.
Ex-Kisumu Senator Fred Outa said elections are over and Azimio leaders must desist from their old tricks of causing mayhem by going to the streets to oppose the government of the day.
“We want to tell them that Kenyans have come of age and have learnt to do better things with their lives. Let the leaders use the Constitution to address things that the government is not doing right,” said Mr Outa.
Former Lake Basin Development Authority Chairman Odoyo Owidi faulted Mr Odinga for resorting to rallies and protests while ex-President Uhuru Kenyatta has accepted to move on and is now leading peace building processes in the continent.
Ex-Nyatike MP Edick Anyanga said the Luo community must never again allow it to be used for protests as they have suffered for decades over the bad image as “stone throwers”.
We are tired of doing the same thing over and over. This is a strategy that is going to destroy Luos. We are not demonstrating again as we have had a bad name for a long time,” he said.
Former Imara Daima MCA Ken Obuya said it is high time Luos changed their political tact and stopped being used every election cycle for demos.
“Let the leaders use their family members who always benefit from appointments resulting from such protests,” he said.
