Demonstrations began with each side chanting songs supporting party leader

Jubilee and NASA supporters, United Kingdom   Photo:Courtesy

Jubilee and NASA supporters living in the United Kingdom clashed outside Chatham House where NASA flagbearer Raila Odinga was addressing a gathering on Friday.

The demonstrations began with each side chanting songs supporting their party leader. Some came with recordings of speeches by their leaders from previous rallies and played them in full volume.

 Others wore colours representing their political parties. It soon became a battle of which camp could outdo the other. Animated arguments quickly escalated to verbal insults.

A video recording shared by a Facebook user shows a man dressed in suit, with hands in his pocket, walking right into the crowd of opposing camp and daring them to hit him. What followed were a series of insults.

“What kind of nonsense is this? People who did not vote engaging in fights?” read a comment on the video.

The video, which got thousands of views, reinforces the narrative that tribalism and political brinkmanship has stretched far and beyond our borders. In other videos posted online as soon as Raila’s speech began, supporters of different teams took to several streets to shout slogans in support of their leader. Vincent Nyambega, who claims he organised the NASA protest, said he does not regret participating in the demonstrations. He also live streamed Raila's speech at Chatam House.

Meanwhile, the British High Commission has distanced itself from news circulating on social media under the hashtag #Raila in London, suggesting that it was part of UK government coup conspiracy. Through a tweet on their official account, they said they support Kenya's democracy.