Azimio la Umoja leaders have changed the venue of their prayers planned for next week even as they continue to scale up their combat against President William Ruto’s administration.
The leaders had earlier on Wednesday said they will hold the service at the Anniversary Towers which apparently houses the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) offices.
"We will also be doing a prayer for the IEBC that we have a better IEBC to defend the rights of our people. That prayer will be done in front of the premises of IEBC (Anniversary Towers)," he said.
But speaking later in the evening, Raila announced the prayers will be held at the Jevanjee Gardens in the City.
“This nation needs prayers. We are going to convene a prayer meeting at Jevanjee… We are going to talk more about it tomorrow (Thursday),” Raila told the press.
He was speaking when he visited the residence of former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i moments after a police raid.
He added, “Kenyans must stand firm against intimidation and blackmail by those in power people’s power must prevail at this time.”
The meeting will happen after the planned rallies in Kisii and Kisumu this weekend.
“After we visit Kisii on Friday and Kisumu on Saturday, we will also be doing a prayer for the IEBC that we get an IEBC which will defend the rights of our people,” Raila had earlier told on in the day told the press.
“We must defend electoral justice in our country and this is what we have told our MPs to do and will continue to urge Kenyans to wake up and defend their rights.”
Raila who has planned a series of nationwide anti-Ruto rallies in protest over what he insists is a rigged presidential election has said he will not participate in the reconstitution of the electoral body.
The parallel prayers by the opposition come at a time they have strongly scolded Ruto over his continued prayers.
"We have shown beyond any doubt that the elections were rigged. It doesn't matter how many times Ruto shouts, or how many times he prays. The prayer is not going to help him to get away with theft of elections," Raila said.
In the August 2022 presidential election results, Raila says he won with 8.1 million votes against Ruto's 5.9 million.