Impending Clash: Ruto vs. Raila in Nyanza
When President William Ruto and opposition leader Raila Odinga tour the latter’s Nyanza property today (Saturday), a confrontation is imminent.
While President Ruto is scheduled to attend Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo’s thanksgiving service at Oriwo Boys High School in Karachuonyo, Mr. Odinga will meet his troops in Kisumu before addressing roadside rallies in Ahero, Katito, Kendu Bay, Adiedo, and Homa Bay, setting the stage for a major showdown due to the proximity to the venue of the thanksgiving ceremony.
State House had not confirmed Dr. Ruto’s attendance as of press time, despite the President being scheduled to host six African presidents in Nairobi today for a discussion on military coups and democratic renewal.
Dr. Ruto could have been represented at the Homa Bay event by Musalia Mudavadi, the secretary of the Prime Cabinet. On Thursday, the PS Omollo Thanksgiving organizers stated that everything was in order and condemned the opposition’s planned events.
This was even though Kasipul MP Charles Ong rondo stated that the leader of the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition had planned meetings with supporters to discuss the group’s next course of action.
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One of the Azimio team’s stops is within a few kilometers of Dr. Omolo’s residence in Kanyipir. President Ruto is expected to inaugurate several development projects in Homa Bay following the conclusion of the event, including the construction of the Mbita-Sindo-Magunga-Sori road and the Rusinga Ring Road.
According to Mr. Hesbon Omollo, spokesman for the family and board member at the Kenya Medical Supplies Agency, a last-minute appeal by Azimio leaders to organize a political rally at the Nyamasaria bus park in Kisumu is intended to paralyze the ceremony.
Mr. Omollo also expressed concern that the meeting’s organizers intend to detain attendees at the Kisumu International Airport before their 70-kilometer voyage to the venue. However, the Minority Leader of the National Assembly, Opiyo Wandayi, dismissed the concerns.
“The scheduled ODM delegates meeting and public rally in Kisumu East has nothing to do with a purported United Democratic Alliance meeting in Homa Bay on the same day. Mr. Wandayi stated that as ODM, we are too occupied activating our grassroots networks to be bothered by unrelated events.
Yesterday, a group of adolescents attempted to disrupt a UDA meeting in Kabondo Kasipul by blocking the roads leading to the location where recruitment was taking place.
ALSO READ: Raila’s Nyanza Meetings: Punishing Rebels as Ruto Plans Visit
Even as Mr. Omollo told journalists that they have invited local politicians allied with Azimio, including the governor of Homa Bay, Gladys Wanga, this occurs.
However, Governor Wanga’s Chief of Staff, Mr. Charles Odhiambo, denied receiving an invitation. “We did not receive an invitation to the event.
It has not been sent to us, even though the governor has been present all week,” said Mr. Odhiambo. Elisha Odhiambo, a former member of the ODM who now supports President Ruto, stated that the people were prepared to greet the president.
“Tomorrow, I will be in Homa Bay for Mr. Omollo’s engagement. Here in Gem, the populace is eagerly awaiting the arrival of the president, as Mr. Odhiambo explained.
Impending Clash: Ruto vs. Raila in Nyanza
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