Opposition leader and NASA coalition flag bearer Raila Odinga on Wednesday announced at Uhuru Park that the coalition was transforming into a ”resistance movement”.
In his speech, Raila continued to urge NASA supporters not to participate in the ”sham” repeat election. “Convince friends, relatives and anyone else not to participate in the elections in any way,” he said.
Raila asked his supporters to stay at home or hold vigil away from the polling stations, claiming that the ruling regime was ”planning to use every excuse to massacre our [Nasa] people”.
The opposition leader also said that they shall convene a People’s Assembly for the purpose of charting their ”way back to constitutionalism and democracy”.
Raila also vowed to ”mobilize all progressive forces in the country to ensure that a fresh, free and fair presidential election is organized within 90 days”. He also asked NASA supporters to boycott goods and services provided by institutions ”benefiting from a dictatorship Jubilee government.”
In what was anticipated to be a ”big announcement”, Raila concluded his speech saying that the coalition will now ”embark on a national campaign of defiance of illegitimate governmental authority and non-cooperation with all its organs.”
What is a resistance movement?
In many parts of the world, a resistance movement is an organized effort by parts of the civil population of a country working to resist the legally established government or an occupying power and to disrupt civil order and stability.
Resistance movements may seek to achieve their objectives through either the use of nonviolent resistance or the use of force, whether armed or unarmed. In many cases, they usually operate under different organizations and acting in different phases or geographical areas within a country.
For instance, several peaceful Anti-Trump resistance movements gained traction during the campaign period in 2016 and after the elections in America. However, when these groups encountered Trump supporters, isolated cases of violence would sometimes occur.