By Ebi Kesiena
Raila Odinga kenya’s opposition leader has led thousands of protesters in a third round of anti-government demonstrations as the government warned that no more violent protests would be tolerated.
The opposition is blaming President William Ruto for the rising cost of living and alleges he illegally manipulated his election in last year’s polls, although the Supreme Court has upheld the validity of the election results.
Mr Odinga says that the protests will only stop after the government lowers the cost of basic food items and allows access to the 2022 election results from the electoral commission’s main computers.
President Williams Ruto has said that the protests are illegal.
While Interior Minister Kithure Kindiki, who is in charge of the police, said that no more violent protests would be tolerated, stating: “We must halt the descent.”
Police have been using force to disperse protesters and so far four people are reported to have died since the protests started last week.
Mr Odinga said that the protests will be held twice every week until the opposition’s demands are met.
The independent Policing Oversight Authority is investigating four incidents of police shooting and killing protesters as well allegations that police failed to respond to a report on the damaging of private property.
Civil society groups that include Amnesty Kenya and the Kenya Human Rights Commission have expressed concern over the abuse of human rights by the police during the protests and urged police to uphold their service to humanity.
The African Union has called for calm and dialogue among stakeholders, recalling a “successful conduct of the general elections and confirmation of the outcome by the Supreme Court.”
The Media Council of Kenya said that journalists have been attacked in the demonstrations and said it would work closely with the police to ensure those responsible face the law.
