Kenyan president bans opposition rallies

Kenyan President William Ruto announced today that protests scheduled for next week by the opposition are banned, after the latest one degenerated into clashes with at least nine dead. "The demonstrations will not take place in our country," said the head of state, traveling to Nakuru county, 150 kilometers from the capital Nairobi. "We will not accept anarchy in the republic of Kenya," he added. "We will not allow" opposition leader Raila Odinga and former president Uhuru Kenyatta, who supports him, "to take our country hostage by causing violence, chaos and anarchy", threatened Ruto, who then said he was ready to "meet" the opposition.

Demonstrations organized on Raila Odinga's initiative in several cities on Wednesday were marred by looting and clashes between protesters and police, which resulted in the arrest of more than 300 people - according to police - and nine people killed, according to the Commission national kenya for human rights. Raila Odinga's Azimio alliance is demonstrating against new taxes and against the results of the 2022 presidential elections, which according to the opposition leader were "stolen". Azimio had called for three new days of mobilization next week, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.