04/07/2023
AZIMIO STATEMENT
July 4, 2023
Ladies and Gentlemen,
We gather here today because THE PEOPLE HAVE HAD ENOUGH. There comes a time when being taken for granted becomes unbearable. There comes a time when being treated as fools becomes intolerable. That time has come.
Henceforth, we are taking bold measures against the illegitimate regime of Ruto, in response to his actions against us. Ruto is imposing taxes without our consent and implementing laws that only make our lives more difficult. We cannot tolerate the current state of taxation and its accompanying injustices any longer. Ruto has even removed subsidies on essential goods like fuel, unga (maize flour), electricity, and school fees, while providing subsidies to helicopter owners and financing the lavish lifestyles of his allies with our hard-earned money.
It is evident that we are dealing with a heartless tyrant who shows no regard for the people. We are determined to rectify this situation. Therefore, we are here to announce that our Kamukunji meeting will take place in Nairobi this Friday, as previously announced. However, this is not just a gathering in Nairobi; it is a nationwide Kamukunji where we will launch the Third Liberation. On July 7th, 2023, we will initiate signature collection campaigns to express our rejection of the illegitimate Kenya Kwanza regime and its punitive tax policies.
As we speak, the prices of fuel, food, and transportation are skyrocketing. In fact, fare has already increased by 30 percent. Fellow Kenyans, as a resilient people, we refuse to suffer in silence. We do not bow down to dictators and beg for mercy. Even those who do still face humiliation and even death. So, we fight.
We raise our voices loudly and clearly on issues that affect us. Therefore, we must fight, and our fight begins on Friday. Unity is crucial now more than ever. Together, we can achieve not only our desires but also what we rightfully deserve. From Friday onwards, let us move forward with unwavering determination, standing united and working together until the end.
Violence is abhorrent to us. Our engagement in pickets, protests, tax boycotts, and civil disobedience does not advocate violence. We have never endorsed violence in the past, and we never will. We firmly believe in the law and the rule of law, and we will act within its boundaries. Our sole weapon is our sovereign power to protest, boycott, and engage in civil disobedience. We exercise this power starting on Friday, July 7th.
Fellow Kenyans, we want you to understand that WE ARE ON THE RIGHT SIDE. We are not wrong. By resorting to civil disobedience and protests, we cannot be wrong unless the law itself is wrong. The same law that establishes the government and its institutions, such as parliament, the courts, and the police, also permits us to protest, picket, boycott, and present petitions. We are within our rights, and we refuse to be intimidated.
Let us remember the words of Martin Luther King Jr., who once said, "Now it means sacrificing, yes, it means sacrificing at points. But there are some things that we've got to learn to sacrifice for. And we've got to come to the point that we are determined not to accept a lot of things that we have been accepting in the past." As a country, we have reached that point. We invite all our fellow citizens to prepare to join the Kamukunji in Nairobi and other locations across the country on Friday.
Thank you, Kenyans. Let us gather in Kamukunji and various parts of the country for the Saba Saba of our lifetime.
