Kenyan opposition leader Odinga says to continue despite protests

Odinga has called for biweekly protests indefinitely, citing the high cost of living and accusing President Ruto of electoral malpractice.

Kenyan opposition leader Raila Odinga says protests against President William Ruto’s high cost of living government are continuing as planned despite a police ban.

In a Twitter post, Odinga called for protests on Monday and Thursday, hours after accusing Vice President Rigathi Gachagua of “co-ordinating a chaotic campaign” against the planned demonstrations.

Last week, protests in Nairobi and other cities turned violent, killing one person. Police arrested more than 200 people, including legislators from Odinga’s One Kenya Coalition Party from both houses of parliament.

Kenya’s police chief on Sunday announced a ban on the protests that Odinga had called for, saying such actions remained illegal.

“We’ve held back. We can’t do that anymore,” Police Inspector General Japhet Koome told reporters at a press briefing. “As a police force, we are ready to keep the peace.”

During last week’s protests, police used tear gas and water cannons, including at Odinga’s convoy. There was a heavy police presence in Nairobi’s central business district ahead of Monday’s scheduled rallies.

Odinga, 78, has called for biweekly protests indefinitely, citing the high cost of staples such as cornmeal, which has kept inflation high. He also accused Ruto of cheating in last year’s presidential election.

Ruto, who has inherited a huge foreign debt and scrapped fuel subsidies, said last week the protests hurt businesses and the Kenyan people.

Odinga, a former prime minister, has lost five consecutive elections in his bid to become president. He challenged the most recent result in the Supreme Court, which upheld Ruto’s victory.