"Police acted in best interest of Kenyans" - MP David Ochieng on Azimio protests

Ugenya Member of Parliament (MP) David Ochieng now says that police officers were acting in the interest of Kenyans - especially businesspersons - during Monday's Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Coalition protests.

Although Azimio says that protests are meant to put pressure on President William Ruto's government to reduce the cost of living, MP Ochieng says that they were meant to blackmail the country.

Azimio leaders have accused the police of turning an otherwise peaceful protests across the country into a violent confrontation.

"I’m sure the police were acting in the best interest of Kenyans. You cannot hold demonstrations and threaten to shut down and blackmail the country," Ochieng, who is the Movement for Democracy and Growth Party leader, said on Tuesday, March 21.

Ochieng: 'Raila hates Ruto'

According to the lawmaker, Raila's call for mass action against the government shows that he has a personal hatred and disdain for President Ruto.

"What hurts me most is the personal hatred they [Azimio] have against the President. They despise him and believe that he should not have won the election. That has to stop and appreciate that William Ruto is the president and work with him."

The lawmaker rues that Azimio protests - which Raila has said will be held every Monday - will derail President Ruto's government from delivering what they pledged to Kenyans during campaigns.

"This is the time to build the economy, and not the time to tell us how powerful you are. I don't think it is right for the Azimio side to use their following to undermine and interfere with the process of trying to recover the economy."