Kenyan opposition leader Raila Odinga has announced the suspension of anti-government protests which began last month.
Initially, Mr Odinga had called for street demonstrations every Monday and Thursday, accusing the government of William Ruto of stealing last year's election and of failing to control the surging cost of living.
Three people have died since the anti-governmental protests erupted on March 20 and businesses have been looted, property vandalised, and some journalists attacked - while police clashed with protestors.
In a dramatic turn of events, on the eve of a fourth day of the protests - dubbed "Mega Monday" the opposition leader said " we stand down our demonstrations for Monday, that's tomorrow April 3rd 2023.''
The opposition leader called off the demonstrations in a media address on Sunday evening. Mr Odinga said he had listened to President William Ruto's call for an end to the protests to enable a peaceful resolution of the situation.
Earlier on Sunday, the Kenyan president called for calm and urged Odinga to cancel his planned action.
"I urge my brother Raila Odinga, and the opposition, to call off the demonstrations, and to give this bipartisan approach a chance for us to take the country forward," Ruto said in a nationwide address from State House.
The president also urged ''all Kenyans to remain peaceful and law-abiding and I assure them that the Government of Kenya will continue with its sacred duty of protecting their lives and their property, including their businesses."
Mr Odinga has described the president's gesture as ''positive.'' He however emphasised that the right to protest is guaranteed in the Kenyan constitution.
''we want to emphasise that the right to assemble, to demonstrate, petition and speak are anchored as provided for in our constitution , therefore we deserve our rights to call for demonstrations should this process not bear fruit," he said.
The violence in Kenya had alarmed its neighbours and sparked international calls for calm and dialogue.
