Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga has urged the government not to interfere with peaceful demonstrations as Kenyans prepare to commemorate the 2024 Gen Z protests on Wednesday.
Speaking in Mombasa, the ODM party leader said the right to assemble and picket is protected by the Constitution.
However, he also stressed that demonstrators must follow legal procedures by notifying police of their plans and avoiding actions that could disrupt the economy.
“Kenyans have a right to picket, assemble and demonstrate. First, notify the police and agree on the venue, routes and time of the demonstrations. We should not demonise demonstrations and demonstrators should not disrupt the country’s economy. There’s no need for the government to stop people from demonstrating, because this is their right,” he said during the groundbreaking ceremony for the Maganda Early Childhood Development and Education Centre in Jomvu.
Mr Odinga said the youth have, since 2024, been advocating for the same issues ODM has long fought for, such as good governance and a lower cost of living.
He defended his decision to partner with the Kenya Kwanza government at the height of tensions during protests against the 2024/2025 Finance Bill, saying it was in the national interest.
Mr Odinga reiterated that ODM remains independent despite cooperating with the government and will field candidates in the 2027 elections.
“The youth asked me to stay at home, and I did. The protests continued and some youth were shot. The government even brought military officers into the streets. Kenya was burning. We, as ODM, were standing for the rights of the people,” he said, insisting that all agreements in the National Dialogue Committee (Nadco) report must be implemented.
Raila to Gen Z: Inform the police your planned routes during demonstrations
The report, among other things, calls for compensation for victims of election-related violence.
Speaking at the event, Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir said ODM’s decision to nominate members to the Kenya Kwanza Cabinet was a difficult but necessary one.
“A tough decision had to be made to prevent this country from going to the dogs. Initially, it was us who were being targeted. Raila was nearly assassinated for believing that this country is bigger than any individual. It wasn’t an easy decision to make. We sat up until 1 a.m. before deciding to put aside personal interests for the good of the country,” he said.
The ODM deputy party leader urged police officers to allow peaceful demonstrations but also called on protesters to respect the rights of others during their processions.
Meanwhile, Mr Odinga expressed support for the government’s use of Affordable Housing funds to construct markets—a move that has sparked debate in recent weeks. According to the former Prime Minister, the idea to pair housing with income-generating infrastructure was his.
“When you construct houses and require someone to pay a deposit, where will they get the money if they’re unemployed? You must first enable them to earn an income by building markets, schools, hospitals, and recreational spaces. That is the kind of integrated development we need, and I’ve asked the government to do this across all housing projects nationwide,” he said.
On the Iran-Israel conflict, Mr Odinga called for neutrality among global actors and warned against escalation.
“All humanity must come together to prevent a World War Three,” he said.
