Raila Condemns Attack On Journalists, Claims Police Tried To Kill Him

Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition party leader Raila Odinga on Thursday, March 30 alleged an assassination attempt on his life while condemning attacks targeted at journalists covering the anti-government demonstrations.

Speaking to the media in Karen during an address that was not televised live, Raila claimed his car was shot at seven times with live bullets in what he believed was an attempt to kill him.

The former Prime Minister hit out at the President William Ruto-led government for trying to lead the country back to the darkness that composed the colonial period while faulting the police for stifling the protests.

He yet again accused foreign nations of turning a blind eye to police brutality during the opposition's protests pushing for economic and electoral reforms in the country, faulting a statement released by an ambassador whose name he did not disclose.

A police water cannon sprays pink water on Raila's convoy on March 30, 2023. /RAILA ODINGA

“We condemn in the strongest terms possible what has happened today. Today is a very sad day in the history of this country. This shows that we’re degenerating into the colonial stage, where lives of Africans did not matter at all because there’s no reason why police should use this kind of force against unarmed citizens who are merely exercising their democratic rights,” he said.

“My own car was hit seven times with live bullets, and the direction of the bullets was all aimed at me. These people have been threatening and blackmailing us, unfortunately, the friends of this country are not helping. Look at the statement released by some ambassador based here, you would think that they live in a different country; they’re actually adding fuel to this conflict, instead of being independent and neutral arbiters.”

He also condemned attacks targeted at journalists during the Thursday demos, where a section of members of the press were hospitalised after allegedly being brutalised by goons and anti-riot officers.

Among them was NTV's Senior Cameraman Eric Isinta who suffered injuries on his face after being hit with a tear gas canister during the protests in Nairobi. Six journalists from Royal Media Services, Nation Media Group and Standard Media Group were injured as they covered the protests.

Raila also claimed that he received intelligence of a plot to storm a number of properties, companies and residences owned by the family of former President Uhuru Kenyatta in what would have been a repeat of the Northlands invasion on Monday, March 27.

“It is very unfortunate that in the whole of these skirmishes, the media is being targeted for attack. The other day and today, several journalists have been injured,” he said.

“We also had information that they were planning to attack Uhuru’s farm, business, and residences.”

For the third successive protest, the Azimio leaders failed to gain access to the Nairobi Central Business District (CBD) for weekly protests against the government but have been addressing roadside crowds in low-income residential areas despite the heavy deployment of police officers.

Bizarre Incidents

As protesters squared off against anti-riot police officers along Outering Road in Nairobi, a wave of shocking incidents swept through the Nyanza region, with Kisumu again making headlines for the wrong reasons.

For instance, rowdy youth had stormed and looted Jamia Supermarket located in Kisumu County, with Hussein Hassan, the proprietor of the supermarket blaming the police for not acting swiftly despite making several calls to the OCS. Among the products stolen were rice, cooking oil, sugar, milk, soft drinks and gas.

Scene after a supermarket in Kisumu was looted on March 30, 2023. /CAPITAL BREAKING

A section of goons took advantage of the Azimio demonstrations, storming a newly opened mortuary at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH) in Kisumu, vandalised it and stealing items worth millions of shillings.