The public protests across the country are being controlled by the people who are agitating for their rights and not being sponsored by Azimio leaders, Westlands Member of Parliament Tim Wanyonyi has said.
According to the legislator, the protests have never been about the interests of Azimio politicians led by Raila Odinga.
Speaking during an exclusive radio interview on Mulembe FM on Thursday, July 20, Mr Wanyonyi argued that Kenyans had resolved to speak for themselves in a language which the President William Ruto-led administration understands best.
“As we speak right now, the protests are not about leaders but by Kenyans who want to tell the government what they need. They are very frustrated and they want to use any chance to show their frustration,” he said.
“It is now beyond Raila Odinga or any individual but it is now under the citizens under Article 1 of the constitution,” he said.
He said Kenyans across the country and across the political divide are feeling the pinch of high cost of living, lack of jobs, lack of proper security and a bullish administration which continues to pile more burdens on their shoulders.
It is the anger boiling inside Kenyans that has pushed them to the streets and not sponsorship by any leader in the Azimio coalition.
At the same time, he said that the protests will continue until the government listens to the plight of Kenyans.
In addition, Mr Wanyonyi said that demonstrators are always peaceful and unarmed during the protests and blamed some rogue police officers of triggering violence leading to loss of lives, injuries, and destruction of property.
“On July 7, we saw people peacefully protesting but the police started lobbying tear gas and attacking the demonstrators and that triggers violence,” Mr Wanyonyi said.
He called on security agencies to maintain professionalism and observe the rule of law while dealing with demonstrators.
Consequently, he rubbished assumptions that Azimio leaders were fighting to be part of government through the backdoor explaining that that is a creation of the Kenya Kwanza politicians.
To him, Azimio is not interested to be part of Kenya Kwanza government and rubbished talks of a handshake as being preached by Kenya Kwanza side.
He reminded the Kenya Kwanza administration of its myriad promises which he said they should be concentrating on implementing them instead of being preoccupied by non-existent power sharing deal.
Similarly, he accused the Kenya Kwanza of being dishonest by belittling and scuttling efforts for bipartisan talks.
Had they been honest, he said, a lasting solution would have already been reached at and the country let to take a progressive direction.