- Title: Kenya's Odinga launches fifth bid for president with incumbent's backing
- Date: 10th December 2021
- Summary: ODINGA'S MOTORCADE LEAVING STADIUM / ODINGA DANCING
- Embargoed: 24th December 2021 18:03
- Keywords: Africa Kenya Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party Raila Odinga Uhuru Kenyatta election
- Location: NAIROBI, KENYA
- City: NAIROBI, KENYA
- Country: Kenya
- Topics: Africa,Government/Politics,Elections/Voting
- Reuters ID: LVA004F7GGU2V
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: EDITORS NOTE: PART AUDIO QUALITY AS INCOMING
Veteran opposition leader Raila Odinga launched his fifth bid for Kenya's presidency on Friday (December 10), this time with the support of his former foe President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Voters are due to go to the polls next August but Kenyatta will not be on the ballot due to a constitutional term limit of two, five-year terms.
Odinga praised Kenyatta for initiating the dialogue that united them four years ago after a bitter dispute following the 2017 vote.
"It takes a seasoned statesman to shake the hand of his rival," he told tens of thousands of supporters gathered at Nairobi's main sports stadium.
Dressed in the orange and blue colors of Odinga's Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party, the supporters sang and danced at the rally. Some waved party and national flags.
In Odinga's last three runs for office in 2007, 2013, he led his supporters to protest at the outcomes or challenge them in court, saying his victories were stolen. Deadly clashes followed the 2007 and 2017 votes.
But he made peace with Kenyatta in early 2018, effectively sidelining Kenyatta's deputy William Ruto, who has been vocal about his own presidential ambitions.
(Production: Baz Ratner, Edwin Waita) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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