Raila Odinga to declare his presidential bid at Azimio La Umoja meeting
ODM leader Raila Odinga (centre) with UDA defectors from Kajiado East at Chungwa House in Nairobi on December 6, 2021.
Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader Raila Odinga will on Friday declare his presidential bid during the Azimio la Umoja fête where several leaders and delegates have been invited.
Mr Odinga yesterday disclosed that he will heed to the calls by Kenyans who have expressed their wish that he gets on the ballot. Addressing at least 200 ODM and Jubilee officials from Nairobi at Convent Hotel yesterday, Mr Odinga said he will on Friday give Kenyans an answer they have been yearning for.
“I have asked Kenyans if I should proceed and they have been assenting. I will now talk on Friday and I want all Kenyans to converge at Kasarani and make it full to capacity for the big declaration,” Mr Odinga said.
Mr Odinga announced that the meeting will have delegates drawn from each of the country’s 1,450 wards with ODM and Jubilee producing at least five delegates each.
“We are almost to the peak. This journey for unity started a long time ago in 2018 with my brother Uhuru Kenyatta and on Friday we will show that Kenyans are now united,” said Mr Odinga.
He said the Friday meeting will depict the face of Kenya with a special sitting arrangement for delegates and supporters of the unity drive. ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna said they expect Kasarani stadium to be full to capacity with 60,000 Kenyans in attendance.
“We are overwhelmed as the majority of Kenyans have expressed their interest to attend. We wish the stadium was even bigger to accommodate more people,” said Mr Sifuna. ODM Director of Elections Junet Mohammed said all parties that share similar ideologies with their party have been invited to the occasion.
“It’s a major event. Those to attend will come from across the globe, Africa and Kenya. The meeting is not for ODM but for everybody,” the Suna East MP said. Kanduyi MP Wafula Wamunyinyi (Ford Kenya) said he was looking forward to working with Mr Odinga ahead of next year’s election.
“We are planning to see that December 10 event a big success. We have been with Raila but now I want us to be even closer because he is most qualified to lead this country,” Mr Wamunyinyi said. Invitation cards for the much hyped convention were dispatched yesterday.
