Raila Odinga's Nyanza rally postponed over Covid fears

ODM leader Raila Odinga. [Sammy Omingo, Standard]

A major rally by ODM leader Raila Odinga in his Nyanza stronghold slated for Friday has been postponed.

During a burial ceremony in Homa Bay County on Monday, Raila announced he would hold the rally at Sikri in Kasipul Constituency on Friday.

The meeting, according to ODM insiders, was being planned to seek views of Nyanza residents on their priorities ahead of the forthcoming elections and to soar up support for ODM as President Uhuru Kenyatta’s term ends in 2022.

Yesterday, Homa Bay Governor Cyprian Awiti announced the meeting had been postponed indefinitely.

Speaking when he commissioned the Midland Health Center in South Kasipul Ward, Awiti said the meeting had been postponed due to rising Covid-19 infections.

“Our meeting which was supposed to be graced by Raila at Sikri has been postponed. The new date will be announced later,” Awiti said.

Even though Raila has not officially declared his presidential bid, the meeting was aimed at consolidating support for his bid.

ODM leader Raila Odinga. [Collins Oduor, Standard]

During the Monday burial, Raila said he is not too old to succeed President Kenyatta. He announced that the Friday meeting would mark the beginning of political rallies he would carry out countrywide.

The meeting was seemingly meant to create a political bond with voters in all parts of the country. Raila described the meeting as the beginning of a new political journey towards 2022.

He plans to hold meetings in all the eight regions (formerly provinces) on diverse dates. The meetings would be attended by 100 delegates from each county in the region.

The delegates include people from all sectors. Those who are highly targeted are people from the informal sector who are the majority of voters.

“We want to unite people to speak in one voice in every region,” Raila said.