Azimio leader Raila Odinga has called for the compensation of families of victims who died or got injured during the mass anti-Finance Bill protests held over the past two weeks.
The government acknowledged that 25 people died during the civil disobedience spearheaded by the youth although the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights put the figure at 41 and 361 injuries due to police action.
In a statement on X shortly after the announcement of the start of the National Multi-Sectoral Forum on Monday next week to address the concerns raised by the Gen Z protesters, Raila said all those who died or were maimed must be compensated.
“All victims of police brutality must be compensated,” he said.
The Azimio boss further echoed the sentiments of his Azimio co-principal Kalonzo Musyoka and called for the withdrawal of police from the streets of Nairobi.
The Central Business District was Tuesday morning awash with contingents of police officers and armoured vehicles on a day intern doctors planned to ‘occupy CBD’ to demand payment and deployment.
Speaking on the steps of KICC after witnessing the signing of the IEBC Amendment Bill, 2024 by President William Ruto, Kalonzo called for immediate withdrawal of security apparatus from Nairobi streets and emphasised the need for calm and normalcy to return to the city.
“Can you Mr President order the Inspector General of Police, if he doesn’t resign, can he remove the police from the streets? Can the Army get out of the streets and back to the barracks?” Kalonzo posed.
While echoing the sentiments, Raila said the security officers would be called for were the country in a state of emergency.
“Unless we are in a state of emergency, the police and army should immediately be taken off the streets,” he said.
Speaking after signing the IEBC Bill, Raila and Ruto said the National Multi-Sectoral Forum will start sittings on Monday, July 15 and run for six days.
They said the talks will foster national dialogue and seek lasting solutions to Kenya's pressing issues.
“We have agreed that a dialogue is the way forward out of the crisis that we are having in our country,” Raila said.
Stakeholders, including the youth, are required to submit the names of their representatives by this Friday.
“In the interest of making sure we live within our means; all participants will bear their attendance costs,” Raila said.
Ruto emphasised the importance of the talks saying the forum will propose the way forward for the country.
He added that the signing of the IEBC Amendment Bill of 2024 marks the beginning of the reconstitution of the commission and is a testament to the “country’s ability to attend to its pressing issues and priorities through routine dialogue and consultations”.