This archive report was first published on 19 August 2021.
On August 19, 2021, President Uhuru Kenyatta announced a 60-day ban on public gatherings, including political rallies and campaign meetings, due to the high COVID-19 infection rate.
However, Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader Raila Odinga defied the ban and met with ODM delegates in Homa Bay, Nyanza region.
According to sources, Odinga was present at a high-level meeting at State House, Mombasa, where the decision to suspend public gatherings was made.
Other attendees at the meeting included One Kenya Alliance (OKA) members Musalia Mudavadi, Kalonzo Musyoka, Gideon Moi, and Moses Wetangula, as well as Cabinet Secretaries Fred Matiangi and Mutahi Kagwe.
ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna defended the decision to hold the meeting, stating that arrangements were already in place and that the meeting would proceed in accordance with Ministry of Health guidelines.
