Raila Supporters Disrupt Nairobi CBD [VIDEO]

Supporters of the Azimio la Umoja coalition brought Nairobi Central Business District (CBD) to a standstill as they flooded the environs outside the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) on Thursday, August 11.

A video obtained by Viral Tea and footage broadcasted on live TV showed the supporters with their typical whistles and mini-vuvuzelas bringing daily activities to a halt, even boda boda operators stopped to watch them make noise.

Now famously dubbed the 'Firimbi Movement', they had chosen KICC given that it is the same venue where the coalition is setting up a stylish celebration centre in anticipation of flagbearer, Raila Odinga's win in the presidential elections.

Setup by the Azimio team at KICC as it anticipates Raila Odinga's win in the presidential elections. /SETH OLALE

Other photos shared on social media related to the matter revealed that the celebrations had been going on for nearly the whole afternoon.

NTV toured the celebration centre which features a red carpet spreading from the entrance to the hall all the way to the parking lot. Supporters will be greeted to the Kenyan flag and roll up banners on entry, which feature Raila and his running mate, Martha Karua.

The hall is split into four areas including a sitting lounge, a VIP section, as well as an entertainment and catering section. In the lounge are high-end leather seats arranged in pools to accommodate between seven and 10 individuals, all featuring iconic marble and glass tables at the centre.

Raila's invitees, who include newly elected parliamentarians, will follow any live proceedings from four large television screens which have since been mounted. A live band has also been called upon to play music in the centre.

At one corner of the room is a desk which will be heavily populated with drinks depending on what guests like. On the opposite side of the room, a catering area has been set up.

Stewards and stewardesses will be on cue to serve the guests during the entire event.

Azimio has also set up a separate VIP section where Raila will meet top-ranking officials of the coalition party and members of his political inner circle. The event will be broadcast live across TV stations and through social media platforms.

In addition, Raila's team has booked a separate hall where he is expected to address them and the nation in the event the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Chair, Wafula Chebukati, officially declares him as president-elect.

In contrast, Deputy President William Ruto's United Democratic Alliance (UDA) chose the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA) hall as their celebration centre, the same venue that hosted the presidential debates series of 2022.

However, the party opted for a simpler setting, with a Kenya Kwanza wall banner overlooking the podium, draped in its party colours. Two big screens placed at strategic angles will allow guests seated in the hall to follow the proceedings on stage without having to strain their eyes to catch a glimpse.

Setup by the UDA (Kenya Kwanza) team as it anticipates William Ruto's win in the presidential elections. /FILE

Both parties seemed to have prepared ahead of schedule in anticipation of the big announcement by Chebukati, who began announcing the verified results by constituency, starting with Webuye East where Ruto beat Raila. Ruto amassed 16,412 votes (53.8 per cent) against Raila's 13,720 (44.9 per cent) of the 30,491 valid votes cast.

Both parties have set up parallel tallying centres where they are doing their own vote counting.