At the Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi, yellow flags are unfurled in the stands as fans chant the name of Deputy President William Ruto. In the polls, he is just six points behind his rival and former prime minister Raila Odinga – both men say they are confident of victory. Image: Supporters in yellow at William Ruto’s rally Mr Ruto’s campaign has focused on one clear theme: supporting the “soldier nation”, with himself as the leader. It’s an attractive slogan for young people here, who face shocking unemployment rates and make up nearly 40% of the registered vote. In these difficult times, young Kenyans are finding creative ways to cope. At the stadium, we met a group of Nairobians who seemed deeply invested in Ruto’s victory. Dressed in bright yellow, holding up posters of him above their heads while singing campaign songs. We talked to them outside in the parking lot. “We’re lovers,” Sylvester said, when asked who they were. By “hustlers” they do not mean the generic label floated by the Ruto campaign, but the actual Hustlers who work in the political landscape itself. “We get paid,” he says. “Prices are from 500 shillings – about $5 – $10.” The election comes against a backdrop of a deepening cost-of-living crisis, as rising fuel and food prices trouble millions of people across the country. Sylvester explains that accepting this money from neighborhood recruiters he calls “political brokers” has become a necessity in this time of financial suffocation. After an hour of showing their “support” for the vice president, they leave the stadium and travel 30 minutes into town to attend their next paid campaign rally. They stop by the side of the road to safely change the blue and white shades of Mr Ruto’s main rival, Raila Odinga, away from supporters from both sides. When you meet an opposing side, you have to be very careful,” says Sylvester. Image: Supporters in dark blue are at the Raila Odinga rally Many Kenyans are concerned about public safety during this period of tension. In 2007, more than half a million people were displaced and at least a thousand killed following widespread violence over disputed elections. This was Mr Odinga’s second bid for the presidency and this will be his fifth. We caught up with him at the back of his latest campaign rally and asked if he’ll accept the result if he loses. “We will accept and congratulate the winner if he wins fairly and we also expect him to do the same,” Mr Odinga said. Despite these assurances, there is no certainty that justice and calm will prevail next week. On the eve of the final rallies, Mr Ruto shared his confidence of a clear victory. “By all indications we won this election,” he said, ignoring the polls.