We did not fear: CS Wandayi recounts being jailed at 25 during reform protests
Cabinet Secretary for Energy and Petroleum, Opiyo Wandayi, has revealed that his early political journey was shaped by close association with Raila Odinga in the 1990s, a path that thrust him into the reform struggle and eventually led to his arrest at just 25 years old.
Speaking during an interview with a local TV station on Thursday, September 25, 2025, Wandayi recalled that after graduating from the University of Nairobi in 1997, he began working closely with Raila as his aide, often running errands and coordinating activities for him and other FORD Kenya leaders.
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He revealed that this involvement drew him into the turbulence of the reform wave that was sweeping across the country.
“A lot of things happened politically that shaped me. I remember in 1997, after graduating, I started working very closely with Raila Odinga as his aide, and I was running political errands here and there for him. In fact, those errands had started a bit earlier, even when I was at the University of Nairobi, where we collaborated very closely. I am sure Kenyans know that. So when I graduated, I continued working very closely with Raila and other political players who were in FORD Kenya at that time,” he shared.
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He noted that the late 1990s were defined by agitation for change, citing the famous slogan “no reforms, no elections” that in 1997 fuelled bloody confrontations between the public and security forces.
It was in the midst of those confrontations, Wandayi recounted, that he was arrested on August 10, 1997.
He explained that he remained in custody for five months, an experience that tested his endurance but also deepened his conviction.
“Around that time, there was a lot happening in the country. There was a clamour for reforms and constitutional change, and I remember the famous clarion call of 1997: ‘no reforms, no elections.’ This led to bloody confrontations between the people and the police.”
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The Energy and Petroleum CS explained that at the time, he had not imagined himself pursuing elective politics.
He described his service to Raila as a way of contributing to a broader mission for justice and constitutional reform rather than a personal ambition for leadership.
“I was already involved in politics back then, but I never imagined I would venture into elective politics, even at that stage. Around that time, there was a lot happening in the country,” he shared.
Wandayi reflected that his imprisonment toughened him and sharpened his resolve to keep pushing for change.
He further noted that the resilience of that generation of young reformists laid the groundwork for many of the reforms that would later reshape Kenya’s political landscape.
“I was arrested on August 10, 1997. I was only 25 years old at the time and was kept in custody for about five months. Life was not easy in custody, but we were young, forward-looking, and optimistic. We did not fear,” Wandayi added.
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Steve Ireri
Steve is a senior writer with over four years of experience in digital journalism. His focus is on the showbiz and human interest stories. Emails: [email protected] , [email protected]
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