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Ruto vows to hold rally at Jacaranda despite heavy police presence


Deputy President William Ruto maintains he will host a political rally at the Jacaranda grounds in Nairobi on Sunday.

This despite heavy police presence in the area on the day of the event amid suggestions the venue has also been booked by a rival political faction led by area MP Babu Owino.

Ruto’s team maintains, in a series on messages on social media led by blogger Dennis Itumbi, that it had booked the grounds by paying Sh30,000 and a receipt handed over for the same.

The payment was reportedly done by Francis Mureithi, as aspirant for the Embakassi East parliamentary seat.

The police deployment was done as early as 4am with about 200 officers spotted at the venue.

Babu Owino had earlier vowed to have his meeting at the venue.

 

 

He later appeared to change his mind and urged his supporters to keep off the venue.

Among the leaders expected to attend the event is Nairobi gubernatorial aspirant Johnson Sakaja whose academic credentials have been questioned in the recent past.

“Kenya Kwanza booked and paid for the Jacaranda grounds for our rally. We won’t buckle at the intimidation of the State. We have a right to assemble. Our resolve for Nairobi and Kenya is clear and unstoppable. Let’s meet at Jacaranda,” said Sakaja.

Ruto’s last rally at the event was punctuated by violence with police firing teargas cannisters in the area. No one was reported injured.