Maurice Ogetta, the longtime bodyguard of the late Raila Odinga, has described how he and other members of the former opposition leader’s security team used their bodies to protect him when gunfire struck his vehicle during anti-government protests in Nairobi in 2023.
In an interview with KTN, Ogetta recalled a terrifying confrontation in Pipeline, Embakasi, when police officers approached Raila’s car as his convoy became caught up in clashes involving demonstrators and security officers.
Ogetta said the vehicle’s windscreen sustained repeated impacts before cracking, followed by a barrage of gunfire that left the security team fearing for their lives.
“There was a video that went viral of an officer coming to the windscreen of my boss’s car,” he said, recounting the incident.
He said the damage to the windscreen was followed by several shots fired at the vehicle.
Security Team Used Their Bodies to Shield Raila
As the shooting intensified, Ogetta said the team forced Raila down inside the car and tried to cover him with whatever they could find.
The priority, he recalled, was to keep the former prime minister out of the line of fire while searching for a way to escape.
“At that point, it registered, and my blood registered that, okay, we are dying anyway,” Ogetta said, describing the fear that gripped him during the confrontation.
The danger was so severe that an officer in the lead vehicle reportedly believed Raila had been killed.
“I heard one of our officers, who was in charge of security in the front car, say over the walkie-talkie that they had killed Mzee,” Ogetta recalled.
Ogetta said he responded by telling the officer that Raila was still alive as the team tried to get out of the area.
He later attributed their survival to divine intervention and the efforts of the security personnel who remained with the former opposition leader throughout the ordeal.
A Recollection of Kenya’s 2023 Protests
The account brings renewed attention to the confrontations that marked Kenya’s anti-government demonstrations in 2023. The protests, led by the opposition, included disputes over the cost of living and the government’s policies.
Raila, who was then the country’s leading opposition figure, frequently took part in or addressed demonstrations against President William Ruto’s administration.
Ogetta’s account offers a personal perspective on the risks faced by those responsible for protecting political leaders during such confrontations. However, his recollection alone does not establish who fired the shots or independently verify the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Raila died in India on 15 October 2025 while receiving medical treatment. His death marked the end of a political career spanning decades and left a lasting imprint on Kenya’s opposition politics.
Ogetta’s account remains a stark recollection of a moment when, by his description, the security team feared they might lose the man they had been assigned to protect. with reduced headline
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