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On Monday, March 20, Mama Africa will be home to major protests from the East, West, North, and Southern regions.
Four African economic powerhouses, Kenya, South Africa, Nigeria and Tunisia are set for a showdown with opposition protestors unhappy with the government.
In the East, Azimio leader Raila Odinga declared Monday, March 20, a national holiday and called on his supporters to come out and protest the high cost of living in Kenya and put the Kenya Kwanza government on notice to leave or be evicted.
From the South, the fiery South African opposition leader Julius Malema, will lead a protest seeking the removal of President Cyril Ramaphosa for mismanaging the country, particularly for the power crisis.
In the West, Nigerians are expected to take to the streets to protest the recent election results. Less than 25 % of registered voters elected Bola Tinubu in what the opposition has claimed to be a corrupt process.
And in the North, Tunisians will take to the streets to protest President’s Kais Saied recent racist remarks against black Africans and his crackdown against the opposition.
We look at the background to all these, starting from the South.
SOUTH AFRICA
South African police have fired warning shots at the opposition protests scheduled for Monday, saying they are a bid to overthrow the government.
The opposition party— the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), is planning nationwide demonstrations to protest against the country’s power crisis.
EFF’s firebrand leader, Julius Malema, has also demanded that President Cyril Ramaphosa resigns from office.
“Stand still on March 20; we don’t apply for nothing. We can’t apply for that given to us by the Constitution. It is our constitutional right to protest, and we shall protest on March 20. We are not scared of the state power; let the state come with its power, we will come with the mass power,” Malema says in his clarion call speech recorded last month to mobilize the masses for nationwide protests.
We are ready!
The solid engine of the EFF Secretary General @DlaminiMarshall joined by the Western Cape Convener of Deployees Cmsr Dr Susan Thembekwayo demonstrating readiness as we are approaching a peaceful protest on the 20th March 2023 #NationalShutdown pic.twitter.com/h4AI2OQBEY
— EFF_Cape_Metro (@EFF_Cape_Metro) March 17, 2023
The opposition leader, in the viral speech, says that all services, save for the emergency ones, will be suspended on March 20.
“There will be no school. There will be no University. There will be no factory. There will be no cars, no taxis unless they’re taking protesters to the lines, and we are not threatened by any security because we do this peacefully. It’s our right. And if they want to come and violate our rights, They will find us ready,” Malema thunders more.
He goes on to reiterate that South Africa will come to a standstill if President Ramaphosa does not resign.
In response, KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner, Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi said on Friday, March 17, that the protests are an attempt to overthrow the government, equating it to anarchy.
“The magnitude of threats differs from other planned shutdowns, and that is why we have to be extra vigilant,” Mkhwanazi said.
On Thursday, March 16, President Ramaphosa said that anarchy would not be tolerated during the protests. He asked the security forces to defend the people.
KENYA
In Kenya, East Africa’s economic powerhouse, veteran opposition leader Raila Odinga has announced mass protests that he said will culminate in a march to the statehouse in Nairobi to remove President William Ruto from office.
In the past month, Odinga, in the company of Azimio la Umoja co-principals, has been leading countrywide people’s consultation meetings while building up the anticipation for March 20 mass action.
On Thursday last week, Odinga said he will lead the demonstrations. Further, he said that the action will involve company boycotts, strikes, and sit-ins in government offices.
The Orange Democratic Movement party leader blames Ruto, IEBC—the electoral body, and the Supreme Court of Kenya for stealing his victory in the general election conducted in August last year.
“Take note that on March 20, we have a date with destiny in Nairobi. We shall stage a massive procession in Nairobi for a legitimate and inclusive government,” Raila announced Thursday to his supporters.
Besides his claims of stolen election victory, Odinga blames Ruto for mismanaging the country, misusing the security organs by harassing senior officials who served in former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s government and failing to lower the cost of living in the country.
About two weeks ago, the five-time presidential candidate had issued a 14-day ultimatum to Ruto to address the cost of living, open the 2022 presidential election servers and stop the process of appointing new members of the electoral agency, IEBC, until all the stakeholders were brought on board.
To add fuel to the Monday protest, Odinga on Tuesday, while in Siaya, Nyanza, declared Monday to be a public holiday and asked Kenyans to participate in the planned countrywide mass action.
“We do not want any kind of violence or bloodshed. It will be peaceful, and I have also said that we do not want any handshake. We are only doing this because it is the only alternative that we have,” he said.
“In the name of Azimio one Kenya Alliance, we declare that Monday, March 20, will be a public holiday,” he said to a charged crowd.
Martha Karua, who was Odinga’s running mate, asked Kenyans to join in the protests to save the nation.
“The people must use their constitutional right to ensure that they allow the person who was chosen by the people to take over the leadership of the country. Let us join the rally to save this nation. This fight is for the people of Kenya,” Karua said.
President Ruto, on Wednesday, March 15, responded to the planned protests and asked Odinga to liaise with the police to ensure the protest is peaceful.
“We must tell my good friend Raila Odinga. You cannot. Enough is enough. You cannot continue to blackmail the country. We have no problem with you organizing demonstrations, but please, it is your responsibility to work with the police to make sure that the rest of the citizens of Kenya, and their lives, are not disrupted, their property is not destroyed, and businesses are not affected. They can go to work, and you can carry on with your demonstrations,” Ruto said.
Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi faulted Odinga for illegally declaring a national holiday.
“We are in a country anchored by the rule of law. It’s wrong for anyone to declare a public holiday in disregard to the rule of law,” Mudavadi said.
NIGERIA
In Nigeria, the opposition leaders have planned street demonstrations on Monday, March 20, to protest over the alleged rigging in last month’s presidential elections.
People’s Democratic Party (PDP),
Nigeria’s main opposition party, led by its presidential candidate in last month’s election, Atiku Abubakar, has been protesting in the streets over his alleged stolen election victory.
On Monday last week, his supporters marched to Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) offices and protested the alleged fraud.
They met at the main entrance of INEC headquarters, shouting and dancing anti-INEC and Tinubu songs. However, the electoral commission’s gates were locked, and they set another demonstration on Monday, March 20.
TUNISIA
In Tunis, the capital of Tunisia, there is a planned national protest on March 20 to oppose the alleged dictatorial rule of President Kais Saied.
Masses of opposition supporters, including members of the Tunisian General Labour Union, have been rallying in the capital Tunis, in readiness for Monday, when they will stage the significant protest.
Protesters have slammed the government’s crackdown on the opposition. The Tunisian President is also being accused of failing to address the ailing economy and his racist remarks against people from Sub-Saharan Africa.
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