Raila’s bodyguard Maurice Ogeta recalls alleged assassination attempts, emotional final moments

The late Raila Odinga’s longtime personal bodyguard, Maurice Ogeta, has for the first time shared reflections on his former boss nearly a year after his death.

In an interview with Citizen TV, Ogeta revealed details of what he described as assassination attempts on the former Prime Minister’s life, while narrating the final moments he shared with a man he regarded not only as his former boss but also as a father, brother, friend and mentor.

“It reached a point where I registered in my mind and I could see my boss dead. In fact it was like we are dead,” he recalled.

“There as a video that went viral of an officer coming to the windscreen of my boss’ car…that windscreen was hit so many times to a point where it gave in and cracked. After cracking, so many shots were fired in that car”

He continued: “I even remember our commander of the day, who was in our lead car, saying that these people have killed Mzee.”

An emotional Ogeta vividly described the final heartbreaking moments he experienced with his former employer, who took his final breath in his hands and on his shoulders.

“I think he went only a quarter way, walking slowly, then he stopped. Remember, I was just a metre away. He stopped and just said ‘Eih.’ When he made that kind of noise, I asked him ‘Mzee, is that back hurting or it’s your leg?’ He just stood there like someone who is dazed…because he was just looking at something that he was probably not seeing,” he narrated.”

“And then he said again ‘Eih’…and he’s just standing…then I said ‘No, wacha nikupeleke pale kwa kiti so that I check it for you.’”