“These People Have Killed Mzee”: Raila’s Bodyguard Recalls Harrowing Moments of 2023 Ambush

Sign InPolitics"These People Have Killed Mzee": Raila's Bodyguard Recalls Harrowing Moments of 2023 AmbushBy George Ndeto · October 10, 2026 · 1 min readSponsored AdThe longtime personal bodyguard to the late opposition leader Raila Odinga has revealed that security teams genuinely feared for their leader’s life during a high-intensity armed ambush that targetted his motorcade.

Maurice Ogeta, a trusted protective aide for nearly two decades, disclosed that tactical forces repeatedly struck the opposition leader’s armored convoy with live ammunition during a severe security breach that left the security detail in absolute panic.

“That windscreen was hit so many times to a point that it gave in and cracked,” Ogeta recounted in an interview with Citizen TV.

“Luckily, it was a treated car; however, after cracking, so many shots were fired into that car. I remember our commander of the day saying, ‘These people have killed Mzee.'”

The violent confrontation erupted in mid-2023 during the peak of the nationwide anti-government demonstrations organized by the Azimio la Umoja coalition.

The political crisis was triggered by widespread public outrage over skyrocketing living costs and the controversial introduction of the Finance Act.

Seeking to suppress the mass opposition movement, state law enforcement agencies received strict commands to block the opposition’s entry into the Nairobi Central Business District (CBD).

When Odinga’s convoy attempted to navigate heavily barricaded urban routes near the Pipeline estate along Outer Ring Road, specialized security units closed in on the motorcade to disperse supporters using water cannons, tear gas, and live rounds.

Despite the rapid penetration of the outer glass layer, the vehicle’s reinforced, custom armor shielding ultimately absorbed the fatal impact of the gunfire, allowing the defensive escort team to successfully maneuver the opposition leader away from the zone without injuries.