Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has announced a ban on opposition demonstrations in the city ahead of planned protests on Thursday, March 30, 2023.
The county boss made the declaration while responding to his Kisumu counterpart Anyang' Nyong'o's statement encouraging Kisumu residents to join opposition demonstrations in Nairobi.
Nyong'o, in a statement on Wednesday morning, said all public demonstrations had been suspended indefinitely in Kisumu, apparently due to chaos and destructions experienced in the county.
"After detailed consultations with the Azimion National leadership and the County Executive Committee (the cabinet)... all public demonstrations within Kisumu County have from today been suspended indefinitely so that we can join the demonstrations in Nairobi," Nyong'o said.
In a swift rejoinder, however, Sakaja said the governor's plans to export demonstrations and associated violence to the city were unacceptable.
"The Governor of Kisumu's idea that he can export his demonstrations to Nairobi and make our County the capital of demonstrations and associated mayhem is preposterous and totally unacceptable," Sakaja said.
Sakaja said the county had suffered huge losses from two demonstrations held in Nairobi in recent weeks and asked Nyong'o to keep Kisumu protesters off the city.
"Nairobi County has already hosted two of these demonstrations. We've borne the cost of the disruption so far: Nairobians have patiently put up with the disruption, and their taxes have paid for its aftermath," Sakaja stated.
"In the spirit of devolution, I would advice the Governor of Kisumu, Prof Anyang' Nyonloc to keep his demonstrations to his County.
"It has been decided that further protests and demonstrations shall similarly no longer take place in any part of the city. Let's Make Nairobi Work," he added.
The opposition's demonstrations pushing for economic and electoral reforms have left a trail of destruction in Kisumu and Nairobi in recent weeks.
At least two people have also been killed and several injured.
