Azimio protests withdrawal of Raila, Kalonzo security detail

"There is a slow but steady attempt to introduce martial law in Kenya. We know who President Ruto is learning from, but as a country we will not allow it and will resist it. We have come too far to go back," said Ms Karua.

Karua, who was accompanied by Raila, Kalonzo, MPs and regional leaders, said they were unable to make their way into the central business district because of large deployment of security officers at central park where opposition supporters were to assemble.

She raised concerns over "a worrying trend of hired goons against Azimio supporters".

"You would have thought that the Kenya Kwanza regime would have let Kenyans express their opinion and fight for the country they love so much, but that was never to be. Instead, at the crack of dawn, police got stationed in all parts of Nairobi metropolis and the city centre to prevent us from proceeding with our peaceful protests as we had planned," stated Karua.

The Narc Kenya leader blamed the scenes of violence witnessed on Tuesday on hooligans allegedly hired by the government to cause mayhem and blame it on the opposition.

Earlier in the day, a public commuter bus ferrying passengers into the CBD from Dagoretti was set ablaze by rowdy youth after they robbed the passengers of valuables.

"They were acting under the command of Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and Trade Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria. Unfortunately, because of the mayhem, we were not able to present our petitions to the four offices as planned," said Karua.

The Azimio leaders were to march to the Office of the President to present a petition on the high cost of living.

"We were also to make our way to the Treasury where we were to petition the release of funds to counties and timely payment of salaries to civil servants. The fourth office was the Public Service Commission where we sought to demand that appointments to public offices be done purely on merit and inclusivity, and not based on tribe as is currently the case," she said.

"We are taking a break to recharge, re-strategize and re-energise. We shall resume our protests on Thursday," Karua added.