Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga has dared his political detractors to brace for a dueling battle with a formidable opponent ahead of the 2022 polls.
He hinted that the proponents of the handshake were working on modalities to form an outfit that will change the political landscape in the country like never before in the history of the nation.
Raila who equated the formation with a Tsunami, told those who are crisscrossing the country while chest thumping to be prepared to face the formation that he said was focused on ensuring that the country forges ahead peacefully.
He was speaking at Ndori secondary school grounds during the burial of the late Washington Jakoyo Midiwo, a former Gem member of parliament.
The burial was also attended by Devolution Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa and a host of senators and members of parliament, led by Siaya senator, James Orengo.
Raila who is a cousin to the late Jakoyo told the supporters of the building bridges initiative to have confidence on the ODM and Jubilee leadership which, he said, knew what they were doing.
“Our people must know that we know where we are heading to,” said the former premier.
On the BBI, Raila said they had confidence on the legal team, led by Senator Orengo, which had appealed the recent high court ruling that put a halt to the BBI.
“We are confident that through this competent team, we are going to succeed and move forward” he said.
He assured ODM supporters that the party was committed to ensuring free and fair nomination process, adding that come 2022, the party will implement recommendations of a task force it appointed to look into the cause of alleged misdeeds that saw several of its members cry of being rigged out during nominations.
Earlier before the funeral ceremony kicked off, youths supporting different political camps in Gem constituency engaged in a fist fight, forcing the police to intervene and order them out of the grounds where the funeral ceremony was to take place.
The police later engaged the locals in running battles as the public defied orders to keep off the school in conformity to the Covid 19 protocols. Tear gas canisters were lobbed onto the crowd, sending the public running for dear lives as those in the tent absorbed the itchy gas.
By Philip Onyango
