Azimio picks Kasarani stadium for final submission rally
The Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition party will hold its final submission rally on August 6 at the Kasarani stadium in Nairobi.
Last week, the coalition party secretary-general Junet Mohammed had announced that the Raila Odinga-led outfit will close its campaigns with a mega rally at Nyayo National Stadium on August 6.
But while releasing their 14-day itinerary, Azimio indicated that its team will tour Nakuru on Thursday; on Friday they will be in Machakos then proceed to Suswa and move to Eldoret before heading to Mombasa and finally in Nairobi at Kasarani stadium on August 6.
Azimio and Kenya Kwanza had laid claim to the Nyayo stadium venue for their respective Nairobi final rallies but the government through Sports Kenya indicated that the venue had been booked for a prayer meeting.
Kenya Kwanza Alliance still insists that it will proceed to hold its final rally at the stadium, having already paid a fee of Sh1.5 million to Sports Kenya.
Sports Kenya has denied the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) permission to use Nyayo Stadium for its final rallies on August 5 and 6 saying the venue has been booked for a peace concert.
“We regret to inform you that due to peace concerts scheduled to take place at both Moi International Sports Centre-Kasarani and Nyayo National Stadium between 5th to 7th, the facility will not be available for your use,” read the statement signed by Pius Metto, the Sports Kenya Director General.
Jacaranda Grounds
The clash over the use of campaign venues is not new with Azimio having staked a claim on Jacaranda Grounds in Embakasi on June 19 when Ruto’s team had booked the venue for a campaign rally.
Anti-riot police were deployed to the grounds in Nairobi after Embakasi East MP Babu Owino, who is affiliated with Azimio, also claimed to have booked the same venue for a rally, leading to the move by police to cancel the two events to avert possible chaos.
UDA Embakasi East parliamentary aspirant Francis Mureithi dismissed Mr Owino’s claim, saying he had already booked the venue.
Although Azimio backed down hours before the scheduled rally, the rally witnessed chaos characterised by stone-throwing and vandalism that erupted at around 11am, spilling into the afternoon.
The two leading presidential contenders are expected to wrap up their campaigns with mega rallies in the capital city.
The official campaign period for the 2022 General Election kicked off on May 30 and ends just 48 hours before the August 9, 2022 poll. BY DAILY NATION
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