Azimio leaders have responded to claims by leaders in government that retired President Uhuru Kenyatta is funding Monday’s mass action.
Narok Senator Ledama Olekina says the former President is not involved in the planning or funding of the mass protests in any way.
His remarks come hot on heels of claims by Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua that Uhuru is the chief financier of the Azimio demos.
“Stop blaming former President Uhuru Kenyatta he has nothing to do with the protest! Hapa mumekosea (you are wrong on this). He is nowhere near the demonstration,” Ledama said in tweet on Sunday.
The Monday demos dominated speeches during Sunday’s thanksgiving service at Kapsabet Showground in Nandi County.
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua claimed Uhuru was the one sponsoring the demonstrations and asked him to reach out to Raila and ask him to call off the mass action.
He said the former president knows the country is in bad shape economically and he should not watch as the protests ruin the little that is left.
“Please Uhuru Kenyatta nakuomba within the few remaining hours look for your brother tell him to stop that nonsense of getting people to Nairobi to come and destroy property,” he said.
On Saturday, National Assembly Majority leader Kimani Ichung’wah also accused Uhuru of sponsoring the countrywide mass action.
Ichung’wa said Uhuru was funding the demos in a bid to destabilise the William Ruto-led administration.
He spoke during an alumni meeting at Kianyaga Boys High School in Kirinyaga County.
“Uhuru Kenyatta, because you are the principal sponsor of the demonstrations being orchestrated by Raila Odinga, he is a mercenary for hire, hired by our former President and there is nothing to hide about,” he said.
Ichung’wa, however, did not provide proof to back up his claims.
Azimio leader Raila Odinga has since denied that the former President is not involved in any way in planning the demonstrations.
He said during a TV interview that Uhuru is too busy with the AU envoy roles to take part in planning Monday’s protests.
“Nothing could be further from the truth. Uhuru has nothing to do with this,” he said during an interview with Citizen TV aired on Saturday.
“As you know he has been outside the country most of the time. Lately he was in Nigeria observing election and from there I think he went somewhere else and just arrived back few days ago. He has not been part of us at all.”
Raila added that the public barazas and looming mass protests are fully funded by the people.
He noted that members of Azimio voluntarily raise funds for the coalition’s activities.
“These protests have not been funded by one specific individual. It is funded by the Citizens themselves. No one has such a huge amount of money to be able to foot the expenses of the movement,” Raila said.
The Star
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