Former Prime Minister and Azimio la Umoja leader Raila Odinga has urged Kenyans to stand united against political intolerance.
Raila spoke Friday after a section of his supporters and Turkana Governor Jeremiah Lomorukai engaged in a show down that resulted to the abrupt end of the event, with the opposition chief forced to leave the venue before making his speech.
“In Kenya, we must stand united against any and all forms of political intolerance,” he said.
Attempts by the Azimio leader to address his supporters out of the dais at the Ekalees grounds hit a snag after the Governor insisted there were no more speeches.
Governor Jeremiah Lomorukai elected in an ODM ticket has openly declared his support for the President vowing he was not turning back and was not even in the team which received him at the event.
The brief standoff was quickly dealt with by the police.
Governor Lomourkai was not in his entourage and chose to be at the festival as he enjoyed dances and tunes hummed by the different musical groups.
Raila arrived minutes later and the sitting arrangement was testament of the cold relations.
The tension between them palpable as both set a distance from each other without exchanging pleasantries.
Whenever Raila stood to enjoy a dance, the Governor would remain seated and the same case replicating whenever Lomorukai stood.
A standoff ensued when a section of Turkana County MCA’s were invited to speak and opted to dress down the former Prime Minister prompting angry reactions from his supporters.
Governor Lomorukai in his attempt to restore sanity stopped the speeches leading to the Azimio delegation staging a storm out from the dias.
The Governor insisted that the festival would still go on but without the address by the Azimio team.
