Zakayo lazima ashuke! Raila says as he warms up for Friday protests

 

Azimio la Umoja leader Raila Odinga has insisted that President William Ruto Must agree to their demands.

In a statement on Thursday, Raila used the Swahili phrase “Zakayo lazima ashuke” (Zacchaeus must descend).

He also affirmed that Friday would mark the last day of protests against the high cost of living, this week.

“Tomorrow marks the finals of #MaandamanoWednesdayToFriday this week. Zakayo lazima ashuke,” Raila said.

The Opposition has equated President Ruto to Zacchaeus the tax collector in the Bible. Zacchaeus was portrayed in the Bible as a sinful tax collector and despised by many.

This is because of taxation imposed on Kenyans in the recently passed Finance Act, 2023. 

President Ruto insists that the Act will help restore the country from the current economic turmoil, but the Opposition and Kenyans will hear none of that. They have termed it as punitive.

The three-day mass protests began on Wednesday, July 19, with Azimio calling upon Kenyans to march to the streets to show their displeasure with the government. 

The Coalition has raised four grievances that it needs the Kenya Kwanza administration to address.

They include the high cost of living, the auditing of the August 2022 presidential election, the end of political party poaching and the reconstitution of IEBC.

Azimio also accused the government of slowly evolving into a dictatorship. 

Raila has also termed the first and second day of the protests a success and that today will be a grand finale.     BY THE STAR