Winnie Odinga’s car was damaged during the opposition’s demonstrations in Nairobi on Monday, March 20, 2023.
This is according to Winnie’s father, Azimio la Umoja – One Kenya coalition leader Raila Odinga, who led thousands of the opposition’s supporters in anti-government demonstrations across the Capital.
In a tweet that has since been deleted, the Azimio supremo shared photos of the vehicle’s damaged windscreen, claiming that his last-born daughter’s car was attacked by the police deployed to quell the protests.
He said the Kenya Kwanza administration has consistently shown animosity towards his daughter Winnie even as he maintained that the opposition won’t be intimidated into calling off the protests.
“This illegitimate regime has consistently shown animosity towards my daughter Winnie, and today they wasted no time in attacking her vehicle,” Raila said.
“Such shameful conduct should not be tolerated, but we refuse to be intimidated. Ruto and his team should be ashamed of themselves.”
In a separate incident, Raila’s spokesperson Makau Mutua alleged that the former prime minister’s vehicle was also damaged in the protests.
Mutua said the vehicle carrying Raila was hit with a bullet and had its windscreen shattered.
“We are now under direct attack by water cannon trucks and tear gas. Our windscreen has been badly damaged. A bullet has hit our vehicle in which Baba Raila Odinga and are riding,” lawyer Mutua captioned photos of the extensively damaged windscreen.
We are now under direct attack by water cannon trucks and tear gas. Our windscreen has been badly damaged. A bullet has hit our vehicle in which Baba @RailaOdinga and are riding. pic.twitter.com/KThSVQmLKw
— Prof Makau Mutua (@makaumutua) March 20, 2023
Earlier, Raila and his entourage were caught in the melee after a contingent of anti-riot police officers staged a battle of might with protesters outside Serena Hotel.
The police, who had just disrupted Azimio’s press conference, teargassed Raila’s entourage as he left Serena Hotel for Nairobi’s Central Business District (CBD). His procession was also repelled with water cannons.
Raila’s motorcade was forced to attempt an alternative route to access the Nairobi CBD after the officers blocked access via Kenyatta Avenue.
Later, the entourage made its way to several parts of the city including Kamukunji grounds, Eastleigh and Mathare where the Azimio leaders addressed roadside rallies.
Raila has listed several reasons for the opposition’s calls for peaceful demonstrations, including President William Ruto’s refusal to allow the audit of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) servers, high cost of living, nepotism in the current administration, lack of consultations in the reconstitution of IEBC and broken promises among others.
