Where is Raila?!

Winnie Odinga, daughter of Azimio leader Raila Odinga, has assured the public that her father is safe and well after being noticeably absent from the July 19 demonstrations.

Raila Odinga had earlier affirmed that the countrywide protests would persist, vowing that Kenyans would not back down in the pursuit of their rights.

In a show of support and to dispel rumors about her father’s well-being, Winnie Odinga posted a screenshot photo on her social media account, capturing a call from Raila with his portrait as her screensaver.

Alongside the photo, she wrote: “Now where is this Baba story coming from? Baba is fine. He just bored me with his long gym story 30 minutes ago.”

The absence of Raila from the initial demonstrations on Wednesday had led to speculation and concerns among supporters, but Winnie’s assurance has put those fears to rest.

Raila, in a video shared on his official Twitter account on Thursday morning, documented alleged incidents of police brutality that occurred during Wednesday’s countrywide protests.

Despite facing challenges and adversity, the opposition leader remained steadfast in his resolve to continue the peaceful demonstrations.

“The voice of the people must be heard. Our peaceful protests continue,” Raila captioned the video, reaffirming the determination of Kenyans to push for their rights and demand accountability from the government.

In an exclusive interview with Nation, Raila Odinga spoke from an undisclosed location, expressing gratitude to Kenyans for their unwavering support during the protests.

He also made it clear that the demonstrations will proceed as planned.

“We will continue with our peaceful demonstrations as planned,” Raila stated.

“But we will stop at 5 pm today (Wednesday) and resume tomorrow (Thursday) morning. We will continue to agitate for our rights; as Kenyans, we won’t give up.”

The primary objective of the three-day countrywide protests is to pressure President William Ruto’s administration to address the issue of the high cost of living, especially in light of the tax hikes contained in the suspended Finance Act of 2023.

Winnie Odinga’s assurance that her father is safe and well has come as a relief to many Kenyans who were concerned about his whereabouts. The protests are set to continue on Thursday, and it remains to be seen how the government will respond.