Editor's Review

The lawmaker said going to the streets would be the most effective way to put the government in check.

Embakasi East MP Babu Owino has dissented from the new form of mass action protests the opposition leader has hinted at.

Speaking during funeral masses of those who died due to police brutality during the anti-government protests, Raila Odinga said he would sanction his followers to stay at home at the expense of going to the streets as show for disobedience to the government.

Reacting to that, Babu said going to the streets would be the viable means to push the government.

"Baba you said we shouldn't go to the streets to demonstrate. But I want to say that we have to go. That is the only way we are going to keep this government in check. If not, then our people won't be safe," he said.

Embakasi East MP Babu Owino.

The lawmaker spoke on Saturday , August 12, while attending a function in Kajiado East.

Babu further restated that the issues bedeviling Kenyans must be accommodated in the ongoing talks between the government and opposition.

The rivaling political factions are meeting over an array of issues.

Initially, the teams had not achieved the common ground over the items to be borne on the agenda list.

Whereas Kenya Kwanza listed, among other things, the creation of the office of the opposition leader, two-thirds gender balance, and the embedment of the office of the prime CS, the opposition insisted, among other issues, the biting cost of living, police brutality during demonstrations and audit of the IEBC servers to be included on the agenda.

Kenya Kwanza is stewarded in the talks by Kikuyu MP who is also the National Assembly majority leader Kimani Ichung'wah, with Azimio being headed by Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka.

The government side has been categorical that it would not accommodate any discussions aimed at power-sharing arrangement between President William Ruto and Raila.

The ODM leader declared that he would lead his followers back to the streets should the talks fail to achieve the object set upon it.