Raila Chases Journalists From KICC Ahead Of Ruto's Address

The Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition led by Raila Odinga has ordered journalists to leave the Kenyatta International Convention Center (KICC) where it was meeting elected leaders following the August 9 polls.

The coalition on Wednesday, August 17 also saw those with recording devices ordered to leave the auditorium, including, but not limited to, those with phones.

"Thank you the members of the fourth estate. Now you are ordered to leave the room," announced the event coordinator.

Azimio la Umoja leader Raila Odinga when he arrived at KICC. /RAILA ODINGA

It was not immediately clear what prompted the coalition to chase away members of the Fourth Estate.

This is Raila's second public address since being beaten by William Ruto in the presidential election.

"We are here for the sake of our unity as members of the parliament and as leaders of Azimio," Embakasi East Member of Parliament Paul Ongili, famously known as Babu Owino, spoke about the purpose of the meeting.

Other leaders revealed that they converged at the auditorium to charter the way forward, even as they await Azimio's plan after Raila rejected the outcome of the elections.

"Today, we want to get to know each other and plan on how we are going to work together to prepare the leadership in the National Assembly and the Senate level," Homa Bay Senator Moses Kajwang' added.

Coincidentally, the move comes as William Ruto, the President-elect, is set to address the media after chairing the inaugural meeting of elected Governors, Members of the National Assembly and Senators under the Kenya Kwanza Alliance within the course of today.

During his address on Tuesday, August 16, Raila termed the actions of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chairman, Wafula Chebukati, as one that endangered the country's democracy.

He termed the final results announced by Chebukati as null and void and called upon the courts to nullify them, including the Supreme Court.

“Our view in Azimio is clear. The numbers announced by Chebukati are null and void and must be quashed by a court of law. There is no winner or president-elect. That was gross impunity," he stated.

He further mentioned that the IEBC has been acting in biased ways before, and their conduct during the 2017 general elections led to the results of the polls being dismissed.

Raila further insinuated that barely two hours before the presidential election results were announced, Chebukati called a meeting and he informed the commissioners of the results he intends to announce.