Gachagua disowns failed protests, says opposition is still planning

Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has distanced himself from the muted street protests witnessed in Nairobi on Tuesday and some towns.

Speaking in Kitui, he downplayed isolated scenes that saw police arrest a handful of youths in the capital, clarifying that the chaotic #RejectFuelPrice demonstrations were not sanctioned by his camp.

"Those were not our demonstrations. We are planning ours," Gachagua stated.

The statement marks a shift from the online mobilisation that had largely been linked to his allies. By disowning the Tuesday events, Gachagua appeared to suggest that the "real" protests are yet to come.

Last Wednesday, Gachagua stood alongside Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka and other United Opposition leaders, where they issued a raft of demands to the government.

Addressing a joint press conference in Nairobi yesterday afternoon, the coalition presented a united front and gave the government a seven-day ultimatum to address the surging cost of fuel.

Failure to do so, they said, could trigger a wave of nationwide mass action that could disrupt the country.

Gachagua specifically urged the President to immediately instruct the National Assembly Speaker to convene an urgent special sitting within the next seven days.

The opposition leaders say Parliament, as the representative body of the people, should intervene to review the recent fuel price hikes.

"We are giving the government seven days to sort out the energy mess. If they don't, we will lead Kenyans in mass action," Gachagua said.

Yesterday, Gachagua appeared to move away from the social-media-driven protests that struggled to gain traction on Tuesday. Those protests, largely driven by hashtags and online influencers, did not translate into significant numbers on the street.