Speaking during a roadside rally in Naivasha, Nakuru county President Ruto said that the opposition was using protests to disrupt economic activities and blackmail the government.
The head of state added that using extrajudicial and extra-constitutional means to seek power is unacceptable and urged Odinga to wait for the next elections in 2027.
He also declared that there will be no handshake, referring to the previous political agreement between Uhuru Kenyatta and Raila Odinga that he believes has harmed Kenya.
“I want to say that there will be no protests in Kenya again. The one they are planning for on Wednesday will not happen,” he said.
He challenged that the path the opposition had taken would not help the country and if they maintain that path, he would deal with them.
President Ruto’s remarks followed a declaration by the Azimio la Umoja coalition party that they would intensify their anti-government protests to three times a week.
In a statement shared on July 14, Azimio said the planned demonstrations slated for Wednesday, July 19 would still happen and added two more dates.
“Going forward, the peaceful protests will now be held on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday next week, in line with requests from the public to include three days of activity,” the statement concluded.
Anti-government protests erupted over the past week, with demonstrators taking to the streets to protest against rising taxes and the high cost of living.
The protests were met with a heavy police presence, and clashes between protesters and police turning violent, resulting in the deaths of at least six people and injuries to many others.
Despite a ban on demonstrations by Police IG Japhet Koome, protesters have continued to gather in certain towns across the country.
The protests highlight growing frustration among Kenyans over the high cost of living and the government’s handling of the economy.
