Raila Odinga loyalists Gaucho, Nuru Okanga arrested

Two diehard loyalists of the opposition Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition party leader Raila Odinga have reportedly been arrested.

The two, Calvin Gaucho and Nuru Okanga, who are well-known for mobilising Azimio supporters, were allegedly nabbed on Friday night by officers in a sting operation.

Confirming the arrest, lawyer Danstan Omari told Citizen Digital that the pair is currently being detained at the Kiambu Police Station.

According to Omari, the two, who are members of the Azimio-allied Movement for Defense of Democracy (MDD), were initially taken to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) headquarters after being held separately at Limuru and Karuri without any specified charges being preferred against them.

Lawyer Omari claimed that Gaucho and Okanga were being held for allegedly participating in Azimio’s Monday protests.

“One of them was taken to Limuru and the other to Karuri in Kiambu County. They have been brought to DCI offices in Mazingira House,” he said.

“They have been told to record a statement concerning allegations that they participated in an illegal protest.”

He further alleged that DCI detectives wanted the two to record statements regarding the demonstrations, but he advised them against doing so and they heeded.

The advocate explained that attempts to have the two released on cash bail were futile as the officers claimed they had “orders from above” to hold them in custody.

“We have tried to negotiate and request for cash bail but the officers told us that they are following orders from above which say they cannot be released," he stated.

“On Monday, they are set to be arraigned and charged in Kahawa Law Courts, inside Kamiti Prison where the other ODM leaders were arraigned on Monday and released on Ksh.50,000 each.”

Lawyer Omari opined that the arrest of the two opposition stalwarts is a plot by the government to derail the planned Azimio demos next week.

“I think all this is happening because of the planned Azimio protests on Monday. They are trying to arrest some of the leaders so as to cripple the demonstrations but we as lawyers will be in court to defend them,” he stated.

“I have even been told that currently there is another person who has been arrested in his home but I am yet to find out his name.”