A clash is looming between police and Azimio La Umoja leaders over a town hall gathering scheduled for Thursday, April 20, in Murang'a town.

While police have already issued an order prohibiting the meeting, Raila Odinga, leader of the Azimio La Umoja Coalition Party, says it will go as planned.

Mr Odinga said in a statement issued Wednesday afternoon that the meeting will be "peaceful and strictly within the law," and he urged residents of the area to attend in significant numbers.

PHOTO | COURTESY Raila Odinga

Odinga stated The leadership of Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition would hold a town hall session in Muranga Town tomorrow from 10 a.m. as part of their ongoing engagement with the general population on the critical challenges facing the country, including the high cost of basic commodities, the search for electoral justice, the reform and reconstitution of the IEBC, and the protection of our hard-won multi-party democracy.

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He noted that the Muranga gathering, like all engagements organized by the azimio party in recent months, will be peaceful and strictly within the law. They welcome citizens to attend in large numbers and freely speak on matters impacting them.

Earlier that day, Murang'a officers Commander David Mathiu declined Azimio's request to hold the meeting, citing that officers were already deployed elsewhere and needed more preparation time. 

PHOTO | COURTESY Raila Odinga

According to Mathiu, a notification must be filed four days in advance, and Azimio presented it on Tuesday, two days before their scheduled meeting. Thus, the conference will be cancelled.

Azimio-allied politicians such as Raila Odinga, Kalonzo Musyoka, Martha Karua, George Wajackoyah, Mwangi wa Iria, and Jeremiah Kioni are expected to attend the town hall meeting.

Former Murang'a Governor Mwangi Wa Iria went to the Murang'a police station on Tuesday to submit the notice, stating that the meeting will strictly be an engagement forum between leaders and citizens, with the central theme included in the government.

Following the event's cancellation, Wa Iria stated that the town hall meeting would still take place and would be attended by Azimio la Umoja coalition leaders. 

Wa Iria added that The meeting was on and that he wants to want to tell police officers that they were not seeking permission. According to the constitution, they are not supposed to seek permission from the police.

PHOTO | COURTESY Raila Odinga

The event would be Azimio's first town hall meeting in the Mt. Kenya region, coming only days after another in Nairobi on April 13.

Parties invited to the summit included trade unions, farmers' associations, small enterprises, civil society organizations, veterans, human rights campaigners, intellectuals, and faith-based organizations.

Meanwhile, Azimio intends to hold similar events nationwide in the coming weeks.