The late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s bodyguard, Maurice Ogeta, has recounted several assassination attempts on his former boss, describing how some incidents left him fearing for his life.
In an interview on October 9, Ogeta recalled an incident in which Odinga’s vehicle came under heavy gunfire, with bullets repeatedly hitting the windscreen until it cracked.
Ogeta said the attack was so intense that he feared Odinga had been killed, recalling the reaction of the security team accompanying the former Prime Minister.
“There was a video that went viral of an officer coming to the windscreen of my boss’ car. The windscreen was hit so many times that it gave in and cracked. Luckily enough, it was what I would call a treated car, but it cracked, and after cracking, so many shots were fired in that car,” he recounted.
“I even remember our commander of the day, who was in our lead car, which is basically the front car, saying, these people have killed Mzee.”
Maurice Ogeta Recalls Fearful Moments While Protecting Raila Odinga
The former bodyguard also described demonstrations involving Odinga as particularly dangerous, saying some security situations left him uncertain whether they would escape unharmed.
Asked whether he had feared losing Odinga before 2025, Ogeta said the question was difficult to answer given the many dangerous incidents they had experienced together but said the 2023 incident was one of the most daring attempts on the former Prime Minister’s life.
He singled out the Pipeline demonstrations, describing the security situation during the protests as life-threatening.
Ogeta recalled that the final demonstration Odinga attended was particularly significant to him, saying he was abducted afterwards. He added that the abduction appeared to end the demonstrations.
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He described the experience as one of the moments when he became convinced that he might not survive.
Ogeta said he believed he would be the first to die in the event of an attack because he was Odinga’s protector.
“All the demonstrations were so tricky, life-threatening. You were like, will we manage? Will we get out of this place? Again, for once, I think even my blood registered that we are dead. The only thing I was waiting for was who was going to go first, which, unfortunately, I knew was me first,” he said.
Also Read: Meet Raila Odinga’s Aide Who Was with Him Last Moments Before He Collapsed
Raila Odinga’s Final Moments
Beyond recounting the security threats, Ogeta described the final moments he shared with Odinga, recalling how the former Prime Minister stopped walking after covering a short distance.
Standing about a metre away, Ogeta said he noticed Odinga making sounds, prompting him to ask whether his back or leg hurt.
He recalled that Odinga remained standing and appeared dazed, seemingly focused on something he could not see. When he made the sound again, Ogeta offered to help him to a nearby seat so he could establish what was troubling him.
Ogeta said the moments remained deeply emotional, recalling that Odinga took his last breath in his hands and on his shoulders.
He described their relationship as extending beyond professional duty, saying he regarded the former Prime Minister as a father, brother, friend and mentor.
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