Raila Claims Assassination Attempt After His Car was Shot at Seven Times

Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition party leader Raila Odinga claims there was an attempt on his life during their anti-government protests in Nairobi on Thursday.

Odinga said his car was shot at seven times with live bullets in what he believes was a direct attempt by President Ruto’s administration to assassinate him.

Addressing the press in Karen on Thursday evening, he accused Ruto’s government of taking the country back to colonial times by meting violence on peaceful demonstrators who are merely exercising their rights.

“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.

Odinga hit out at Western nations, accusing them of fanning the conflict by standing on the fence and failing to take sides.

“My own car was hit seven times with live bullets, and the direction of the bullets were 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 added.

He also condemned attacks on journalists during Thursday’s protests where four reporters from different media stations were hospitalized after attacks by goons and police.

“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.”