The leader of the Kenyan opposition, Raila Odinga, has alleged a deadly threat on his life on Friday March 31 2023, during the anti-government protests in Nairobi.
Odinga claimed that as he was travelling around the city, organizing protests, his car was shot at several times.
He displayed to reporters bullet-related dents on his armored truck.
“There is no mistaking, for that the intention was basically to kill,” Odinga said. The politician accused the government of being behind the incident.
“I don’t think any police officer could aim to come to shoot and assassinate politicians without being commanded from the very top,” Odinga said.
Two escort cars also had their rear windscreens shattered. Inside the vehicles, the strong smell of tear gas was still present. Odinga said he had instructed his lawyers to proceed to court over the incident.
The 78-year-old long-time candidate for president is one of the leading figures behind anti-government demonstrations. He insisted the protests will only stop after the government lowers the cost of basic food items and allows access to the 2022 election results from the electoral commission’s main computers.
The opposition is blaming President William Ruto for the rising cost of living and alleges he illegally manipulated his election in last year’s polls, although the Supreme Court has upheld the validity of the election results.
President Ruto, who on Thursday arrived back in the country from a four-day trip in Belgium and Germany, has remained adamant that the ongoing protests are illegal.
Police have been using force to disperse protesters and so far four people are reported to have died since the protests started last week. The protests have sparked counter violence against opposition targets.
The independent Policing Oversight Authority is investigating four incidents of police shooting and killing protesters as well allegations that police failed to respond to a report on the damaging of private property. The authority has urged police to abide by the law while protecting life and property.
Civil society groups that include Amnesty Kenya and the Kenya Human Rights Commission have expressed concerns over the abuse of human rights by the police during the protests and urged police to uphold their service to humanity.