Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Coalition Party presidential candidate, Raila Odinga, on Tuesday, July 26, announced that he had dropped the Nyayo Stadium as the venue for his final rally.
Speaking in Kianjai, Meru county after being endorsed by the Njuri Ncheke council of elders, Raila stated that a detailed itinerary of his final campaigns, which he noted would culminate in a mega rally at the Kasarani stadium.
"From Kisumu, we will go to Mombasa then Nairobi at a place known as the Kasarani stadium, where we will close our campaigns," Raila stated.
"On seventh, we will pray, on eighth, we will prepare ourselves for the election and finally on ninth, we will go to the battlefield," the former Prime Minister announced.
During the address, Raila also responded to ridicule by the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) flagbearer, Deputy President William Ruto, over his decision to skip the presidential debate.
He affirmed that he was not afraid to face Ruto but would not waste his time facing him in a televised discussion, inviting him to the actual battleground.
"I have told him to come to the warzone, bring your people and I bring mine so that we meet face-to-face. I have no time to debate a pathological liar," Raila stated.
Nyayo Stadium became a bone of contention with both UDA and Azimio La Umoja claiming that they had booked the sports complex for their final rallies.
However, in a statement released by Sports Kenya, the firm managing the stadium, another entity had booked the venue for a prayer event.
UDA wrote a demand letter to the firm, calling it to withdraw a letter revoking their reservation given that they had already booked and paid for the facility. Failure to do so, they said, would lead to legal consequences.
"Any form of interference or breach of the aforesaid contract would unjustifiably subject taxpayers to humongous financial losses accruing from damages running into hundreds of millions," the demand letter read in part.
President Uhuru Kenyatta's handshake partner opined that endorsement by the Ameru elders was a manifestation of bringing together all communities in the country.
"When we have all communities to speak in one voice so that we can have unity in diversity, the country will move forward. We will be able to build the nation which will remain firm in line with the vision of our forefathers," Raila concluded.
