Azimio la Umoja leader Raila Odinga on Saturday, July 15, claimed that the President William Ruto-led regime has formed a new well-trained killer squad to harm opposition leaders.
Vowing to continue with anti-government protests as planned, the former Prime Minister stated that a gang under the name Operation Support Unit (OSU) was on the loose and will be used to commit excesses against both Azimio leaders and their supporters during next week’s demonstrations.
Raila also revealed that he had received death threats but will not be intimidated into calling off the protests, scheduled to take place for three consecutive days beginning Wednesday.
“This time around, it is not just the official security officers that are being unleashed on Kenyans. Kenya Kwanza has embedded a trained killer squad in the name of Operation Support Unit into the official security agencies and unleashed it on Kenyans.
“OSU was disbanded a few years ago and its members were sent home. The squad is back. Last Wednesday, OSU was in action in Kamkunji, Jogoo Road, and Mlolongo, firing at protesters and killing some,” the former Prime Minister stated.
Without substantiating, the ODM party leader accused the unit of killing at least 23 people. He revealed that the alleged unit had been driving in unmarked Subaru cars.
Raila also noted that President Ruto subtly confirmed the presence of the gang when the Head of State warned the Azimio la Umoja against the protests, noting that he would conclusively deal with the ODM Party Leader politically, once and for all.
According to Raila, Ruto’s insinuation pointed to the alleged killer squad’s directive to harm Azimio la Umoja leaders and forcefully quell opposition supporters.
However, Raila promised to continue with the fight for what he termed as post-independence struggles for multi-party democracy and the fight for the new constitution.
“Kenyans have never lost a liberation struggle. We get beaten, arrested and killed but we never lose. We will soldier on. Arrests, trumped-up charges, illegal detentions and incarcerations have happened in the past. We have always remembered the victims as the heroes of our liberation.
“As we soldier on, we condole with the families of all those killed.. and celebrate them as martyrs of our liberation. We acknowledge all those being arrested and charged and acknowledge them as political prisoners. We shall overcome, Raila said in a statement to newsrooms.
Raila called on the young people to turn in large numbers in order to defend their rights and to ensure that their demands were met by the government.
He also remembered icons of the multiparty democracy movement, some of who were injured or jailed for many years.
On that basis, Raila stated that the struggle for a better Kenya would continue regardless of the position the government holds.
“We remember the recently deceased Prof Micere Mugo and the late Prof. Ali Mazrui who were forced into exile. We remember Kenneth Matiba and Charles Rubia who were detained without trial for demanding for what is today a basic reality of Kenya’s politics and one of the pillars of our Republic; multi-party politics,” he stated.
“Indeed, the folly of our past dictatorship is evidenced by the fact that Dr. Willy Mutunga and Mohamed Ibrahim, who were also detained for demanding multi-party politics, survived to become Chief Justice and Judge of the Supreme Court respectively,” Raila’s statement read in part.
On Friday, July 14, the United Stations (UN) warned President William Ruto that the country risked sliding into unchartered territory following the charged demonstrations in the country.
The UN observed that the National Police Service (NPS) had used unnecessary force on the protesters, noting that the heavy-handedness had led to the death of at least 23 protesters.
While calling on the anti-riot police officers to apply the law equally and provide protection to demonstrators, the UN Human Rights Office Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence noted that Kenyans have a right to protest, and it is the responsibility of the National Police Service to protect the demonstrators and their property.
“In light of calls for further protests next week, we call on the authorities to ensure the right to peaceful assembly as guaranteed by the Kenyan Constitution and international human rights law,” UN stated.
“The policing of protests must seek to facilitate peaceful assemblies, and any use of force must be guided by the principles of legality, necessity, proportionality and non-discrimination. Firearms should never be used to disperse protests.”
On Thursday, July 13, Raila extended the number of days during which Azimio la Umoja supporters will protest, noting that the antigovernment demonstrations will begin on Wednesday, July 19, and end on Friday, July 21.
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