More than 15,000 people expected at Raila’s Thika rally – Gakuyo
About 15,000 people are expected at Thika Stadium in Thika ahead of presidential candidate Raila Odinga's major Saturday rally, according to governor James Nyoro's political advisor David Kariuki Ngari alias Gakuyo.
"We expect about 15,000 residents to fill this ground. These people will be from Kiambu and parts of Murang'a. We want to show Raila that we are fully behind his candidature and we have done enough mobilization to achieve this," Gakuyo said.
Odinga is expected to first hold a town hall meeting with about 1,000 special delegates drawn from Kiambu and Mount Kenya region at large at around 10:00 am.
During the town hall meeting, local leaders are expected to present a list of items they would want Odinga to prioritise if he is elected president among them revival of key agricultural sectors in the Mt Kenya region.
According to Kiambu governor James Nyoro, Odinga will later meet opinion leaders from the region whom he is wooing to be his ambassadors.
"We will then present him with a memorandum of the issues and the expectations that we would want him to take care of when he is elected president. After this, Odinga will proceed to Thika stadium where we expect a big crowd from Kiambu and Murang'a to welcome him," Nyoro who spoke at the stadium told People Daily Digital.
The main event, according to the county boss will start at exactly 2:00pm.
Nyoro said that police have done enough surveillance to ensure the rally runs smoothly.
While urging locals to turn up in big numbers, Nyoro warned that no one will be allowed inside the stadium with placards.
"We are also calling on leaders to exercise tolerance during the event to make it a success," he added.
During his 2017 campaign rally in Thika town, Raila had to cut short his campaigns after rowdy youths stoned his motorcade.
Police fired teargas canisters to disperse the violent youths who accosted the presidential hopeful as he was addressing residents on top of his car.
