Uhuru Kenyatta Contributes KSh 1m To Azimio Fund To Help Victims Of Police Brutality

• Azimio La Umoja launched a fund on Friday, July 28, to help the victims of the brute force meted out by the police
• Former president Uhuru Kenyatta who made a surprise visit to the interdenominational prayer service, gave out KSh 1 million
• Also contributing the same amount was Raila Odinga, who was in attendance at the prayer event in Karen, Nairobi

Nairobi - Retired president Uhuru Kenyatta is among the first to contribute to the fund unveiled by Azimio La Umoja for victims of police brutality.

The Opposition faction has been in the past few days undertaking memorial events in honour of its supporters who died during the anti-government protests.

Uhuru, Raila KSh 2m contribution

Uhuru's KSh 1 million contribution to the kitty was announced by Wiper Party leader and Azimio co-principal Kalonzo Musyoka.

“I want to acknowledge with grateful thanks the contribution of our brother President Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta of one million shillings,” Kalonzo stated.

Raila Odinga contributed to the kitty with the same amount as Uhuru.

Kalonzo announced he would give KSh 500,000, with many lawmakers contributing KSh 1.5 million cumulatively.

"I also want to acknowledge the contribution of our brother Raila Odinga of KSh 1 million shillings, and I am escorting them with half a million shillings. Members of Parliament have already given one and a half million shillings,” said Kalonzo.

The Raila-led faction claimed about 50 of its supporters were killed in the course of the many anti-government protests held recently.

The victims met their ends while fleeing violent scenes, while even more others after surrendering to the police.

“They were shot at vital organs and delicate parts of the body like the abdomen, the spine, the chest and the head. All of them had been unarmed,” the coalition claimed.

A retired Uhuru and politics

In the meantime, Uhuru's participation in Azimio politics, active or passive, has been the subject of discussion in the recent past.

He risked losing his hefty retirement perks if he remained the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition Party Council chairman.

Section 6 of the Presidential Retirement Benefits Act 2003 states that a retired president shall not hold office in any political party for more than six months after he ceases to be head of state.

President William Ruto's government had formally written to the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties to inquire if Uhuru was still holding the role.

Uhuru served for 10 years as Kenya's fourth president from May 2013 to August 2022.

The Act entitled him to KSh 34.7 million lump sum pension for the two terms served. Uhuru is entitled to an annual gratuity of over KSh 72 million, which could be increased to KSh 79.2 million in the fiscal year 2024.

Presidential benefits

The retired president would enjoy a monthly house allowance of KSh 332,063 and a transport allowance of KSh 216,563.

Uhuru recently denied claims he was funding the Opposition protests against the state.

Sources from the government had asserted Uhuru had been part of the pre-protest meetings Azimio was supposedly having.

Other quarters claimed Uhuru gave KSh 40 million to the Raila Odinga-led side to organise last week's protests in which the police fatally wounded some people.

Uhuru's handlers, however, denied the allegations on his behalf, saying the former head of state is currently preoccupied with the peace process in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).