Ignore Thursday protests, Aladwa urges ODM supporters, Nairobi residents

Makadara MP and ODM Nairobi County Chairman George Aladwa has urged ODM supporters and Nairobi residents to ignore calls to participate in the planned June 25 protests.

Aladwa said the demonstrations will only disrupt businesses, endanger lives and derail development.

In a statement on Wednesday, Aladwa backed ODM National Chairperson Gladys Wanga's position that party supporters should stay away from the protests and instead support peaceful and constitutional approaches to addressing national challenges.

"I fully support ODM National Chairperson Governor Gladys Wanga and the party leadership in urging ODM supporters and all peace-loving Kenyans to stay away from the planned June 25 protests," Aladwa said.

The Nairobi ODM chairman said the city, which serves as Kenya's capital and economic hub, cannot continue to be the centre of recurring demonstrations whenever political disagreements arise.

"What Nairobi residents need today is peace, jobs, business opportunities and development, not another day of chaos, fear and destruction," he said.

Aladwa noted that while politicians often drive protest calls, it is ordinary citizens who bear the greatest burden whenever demonstrations paralyse the city.

"When protests take place in Nairobi, it is not politicians who suffer the most. It is ordinary wananchi, small traders, mama mbogas, boda boda riders and young people struggling to earn an honest living," he said.

The legislator recalled the impact of previous demonstrations, saying many families lost loved ones while businesses and property worth millions of shillings were destroyed.

"We have painful memories of what happened during previous demonstrations. Lives were lost. Families were left mourning. Businesses were looted. Property worth millions of shillings was destroyed," he said.

According to Aladwa, ODM has deliberately chosen dialogue and engagement as the most effective way of resolving issues affecting Kenyans. He said the party is now focused on promoting development, economic recovery and programmes that directly benefit wananchi through the broad-based government arrangement.

"ODM has made a deliberate decision to work through dialogue and engagement to address the issues affecting Kenyans," he said.

He added that attention should now shift to creating opportunities for young people, improving public services and ensuring justice and compensation for victims affected by previous unrest.

Aladwa challenged those mobilising for the demonstrations to explain what they hoped to achieve through protests that could not be attained through peaceful and constitutional means.

He urged Kenyans to embrace unity and stability, saying the country needs "development, not destruction" and "solutions, not slogans."