By James Shimanyula
NAIROBI
Kenya’s opposition Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD) said Tuesday it plans to hold public rallies nationwide to call on President Uhuru Kenyatta and military chief Julius Karangi to resign.
"We [have] resolved to join with like-minded parties and groups to embark on countrywide meetings, rallies and other gatherings…to save [the country] from the leadership's failure we [are] bearing witness to right now," the coalition said in a statement released in Nairobi on Tuesday.
The statement, however, did not say when the rallies would be held. When contacted by The Anadolu Agency, CORD spokesman Phillip Etale said that the opposition coalition is preparing a schedule for the activities.
"The rallies will take place soon, before the end of the year," he told AA.
Demanding the resignation of Karangi, the opposition 's release cited two recent attacks in the country's northeastern Mandera County, which left scores dead.
"Mandera attacks, like the Westgate attack and many others have been perpetrated by external forces. Yet, General Karangi has seen no need to explain to Kenyans why and when our nation will be safe," the release said.
CORD is led by Raila Amolo Odinga, one of Kenya’s longest-serving political prisoners, having spent eight years in detention during the one-party rule of retired president Daniel arap Moi.
Odinga then served as prime minister of a coalition government between 2008 and 2013.
The CORD call comes at a time when Kenya has been hit by a series of attacks that the government blames on Somalia-based Al-Shabaab militant group.
The latest of these attacks hit Mandera earlier Tuesday, with militants killing at least 36 workers in a local quarry.
Al-Shabaab has repeatedly called on the Kenyan government to withdraw its troops sent to Somalia in 2011.
But the demand was dismissed by Kenyatta who reiterated that the troops will remain in the Horn of Africa nation.
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