The demonstrations being conducted by the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Alliance, led by Raila Odinga are getting uglier by the day.
On Thursday last week, the demonstrations turned violent after police officers started lobbying teargas at rather “peaceful demonstrators.
Hell broke loose when Raila Odinga and his brigade tried to access Outering Road, at a place called Kware. The police cut them off with teargas and water cannons.
Raila Odinga’s convoy had to retreat to Mombasa Road, then headed to Karen, leaving his supporters causing havoc and mayhem along Outering Road.
Barriers along the road were vandalized, cars were set ablaze and shops were looted. Innocent passersby who were caught between were mercilessly robbed, beaten, and left injured.
The police had to run for their lives when the crowds overpowered them with stones and other objects. The scenes we see in movies being depicted the genocide in Rwanda started to unfold along Outering Road.
Houses Broken Into
There are reports that houses and estates were broken into by angry and hungry youths who looted everything they found and anything they could lay their hands on.
Those who had packed their cars by the roadside were left counted losses as some were set ablaze, side mirrors stolen for some of them and windscreens smashed for some.
Kids had to be taken out of school early and in some incidences, they had to be locked within the school till late at night before their parents went for them.
Calm returned late into the night but the effects would take months or even years for those whose houses were broken into, and businesses looted to recover.
Raila Odinga’s Demands
Raila Odinga and a section of Azimio la Umoja are using demonstrations to demand the following from the government of President William Ruto:
They want the servers that were under the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) during the last general elections to be opened.
They want the government to lower the cost of living but reinstate subsidies that had been put in place by President Uhuru Kenyatta but removed by William Ruto.
They want the President to stop the recruitment of the new IEBC Commissioners until the opposition is involved.
But even with those demands, the actions of the demonstrators of attacking and looting businesses are watering down the agenda and making it look like Raila Odinga is pushing his own personal agenda.
What Should You Do If Caught Up With the Maandamano?
If you can run, run as fast as your legs can carry. Ran and go far, far away when you think you will be safe. If possible, run away from both the demonstrators and the police.
Look for a possible building then go and hide there until the angry demonstrators are gone. Avoid buildings that are directly in their way for they might set them on fire.
If you are wearing T-shirts or pieces of clothing for the Kenya Kwanza (yellow T-Shirts with their logos), ditch them immediately. Even if you will go home shirtless, better than being killed.
Remain indoors. Raila Odinga has announced that maandamano will now be every Monday and Thursday every week. Why would you get out of the house? Do you want to die?
Monitor the media. Thanks to the mainstream and social media, it is easy to tell the route that Raila and his supporters will take. The moment you establish that, avoid such routes and places.
