The stage is set for a face off between Azimio La Umoja One Kenya coalition and the Kenya Kwanza government over the results of last year’s presidential results as opposition leader Raila Odinga jets into the country today.
As promised by his lieutenants the veteran opposition leader is set to address the first of his nationwide rallies at the Jacaranda grounds in Nairobi today which has made the government very uncomfortable.
According to sources close to Raila, the Azimio leader will land at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) at 11 am. He will be welcomed by a multitude of his supporters who will escort him to the CBD in a city tour. From there the procession will snake its way to Donhoolm through Jogoo road up to the Jacaranda grounds for a mammoth rally.
The government has however taken note of the planned barazas terming them as a plan to hold the state hostage due to ‘selfish reasons.” Speaking at a church service at Kerugoya Stadium in Kirinyaga county on Sunday, President William Ruto termed the rally as an attempt by the opposition to blackmail the Kenya Kwanza administration into dancing to the opposition’s tune.
“Don’t be afraid. I will not allow a few people to blackmail and threaten us so that we get distracted from the promises which we’re to give our people. Our focus won’t be swayed to serve their interests. We are telling them no more,” Ruto stated.
“You can plan demonstrations all you want but Kenya will move forward. I want to assure the citizens of our great country that this country will never again be a hostage to blackmail of a few people chasing personal selfish interests at the expense of millions of Kenya in the republic of Kenya,” said the president
Raila is expected to address his supporters on the damning report released by a ‘whistleblower’ on the alleged manipulation of the August 9th elections results in favour of President Ruto. The report which was released last week was brought to the limelight by Jubilee Party Secretary General Jeremiah Kioni who claimed that Raila won.
On Tuesday Jubilee secretary General Jeremiah Kioni while referencing a whistle blowers report claimed that Raila won the polls after garnering 8,170,355 votes ahead of President William Ruto who reportedly managed 5,919,973 votes.
“59 percent of the constituencies examined showed results that cannot be verified with absolute certainty but again, in the same document, what has been verified so far shows that Raila won the elections with 8,170,355 votes representing 57.53 of the votes cast. Ruto got 5,915,973 votes representing 41.66 pc of the votes cast,” said Kioni.
According to Kioni, the report shows that voting results from 144 constituencies were allegedly altered by some IEBC officials to give Ruto an edge in the contest. Ruto on the other hand has been categorical that it is Azimio who wanted to alter the elections in order to subvert the will of the people.
Kenya Kwanza has termed the rallies As an attempt to force a handshake between President Ruto and Raila. Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has said he has a duty to defend the president and he will deal with Raila if given a chance.
“One of my duties is to defend the president…..Mr. President please allow me to deal with that man (Raila)….I am the real Mau Mau for him,” Gachagua said.
“We have seen from far what you(Raila) and that is what you have done all the years,” Gachagua said.
“You came destroyed the Moi government in 1997….in 2007 you came with nusu mkate…. in 2013 you tried and failed….. in 2017 you instilled fear in Uhuru and he called you for handshake and destroyed government,” he said.
