[Update] Is Raila Odinga Arrested? What Did He Do And Where Is He Now?

Will Raila Odinga be arrested? People want to know if he was arrested over the anti-government protests, recent tax hikes and rising cost of living.

Raila Amolo Odinga is a well-known politician from Kenya. He was Prime Minister of Kenya from 2008 to 2013.

He previously represented the Langata constituency in parliament from 1992 to 2013 and has been the leader of the opposition in Kenya since 2013.

Odinga currently heads the Azimio la Umoja – One Kenya coalition party. In the 1970s he became involved in politics and was elected to Parliament in 1992.

He was also Secretary of Energy from 1993 to 1998. In the 2002 presidential election, he led the National Rainbow Coalition (NARC) and won. However, there was a new election in 2007 due to court decisions.

The 2007 election was also marred by disputes and led to widespread violence. Eventually, Odinga became prime minister through a power-sharing agreement with President Mwai Kibaki.

He held that post until 2013, when he lost the presidential election to Uhuru Kenyatta.

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Will Raila Odinga be arrested? What has he done?

There is currently no information on whether Raila Odinga has been arrested or is in police custody. He is the leader of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) and the leading opposition figure in Kenya.

However, he has been arrested several times in the past. A notable case came in 1982 when he was accused of involvement in an attempted coup against President Daniel Arap Moi.

He was also arrested in 1990 for campaigning against one-party rule and in 2007 for inciting violence after a disputed presidential election.

Most recently, in July 2023, Odinga sharply criticized the government under President William Ruto.

He called for civil disobedience and weekly nationwide demonstrations to protest the government’s recent tax increases and the rising cost of living.

Unfortunately, these protests have resulted in clashes with police and loss of life. So far, Odinga has not been arrested in connection with these protests.

However, the government has warned that he could face arrest if he continues to encourage violence during the demonstrations.

Where is Raila Odinga now?

As of July 20, 2023, the current whereabouts of Raila Odinga in Kenya is unknown. He last saw himself publicly on July 19.

There are rumors that he may have been arrested, but there is no official confirmation yet. The government has not provided any information on the location of Odinga.

In July 2023, Odinga called for civil disobedience and weekly nationwide demonstrations against recent government tax increases and the rising cost of living.

But lately he urged the protesters to take a break and continue the demonstrations on Thursday 20 July.

Welcoming Odinga’s instruction, Philip Etale, the Orange Democratic Movement’s communications director, said the opposition will continue to hold the current regime accountable under the constitution, which stipulates that the protests should end at 5pm.

Odinga considered the first day of protests a success as the government responded attentively to protesters’ complaints.

However, despite requests from religious leaders and other parties, he refrained from dialogue with President William Ruto.

The Kenya Catholic Bishops’ Conference (KCCB) also called on President William Ruto to address similar concerns as the Azimio la Umoja coalition, including repealing the Finance Bill 2023 and reducing the cost of living.

On Wednesday, July 19, Odinga remained silent throughout the day during the anti-government protest, despite expectations from pro-government allies.

Police and his supporters said he would lead the first day of the three-day demonstrations, which would end on Friday, July 21.

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