Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s driver of 14 years withdrawn

By GEOFFREY MOSOKU

KENYA: Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga will return from the US this evening only to find his long-serving police driver is not available.

There was uproar among opposition leaders as it emerged that Raila’s driver, Philip Juma, is among tens of security personnel from the Prisons Department who have been recalled to Magereza House for redeployment.

Juma has been the PM’s driver for 14 years, having joined the CORD leader during the last years of former President Daniel Moi’s regime.

Others affected include CORD Senators Johnstone Muthama, Otieno Kajwang’ and Janet Ong’era who were dispossessed of their bodyguards.

“I woke up this morning and my bodyguard was not there. No one had the courtesy to inform me that the officer has been recalled,” an angry Ong’era protested, saying she will raise the matter on the floor of the Senate this morning. The nominated Senator confirmed that her colleagues Muthama and Kajwang’ had been affected by the move she now suspects is targeting opposition leaders.

Attached to politicians

Last evening, Commissioner General of Prisons Isaiah Osugo confirmed that all officers attached to politicians had been recalled following a directive from the Office of the President.

“There was a circular issued from the security committee that prisons officers currently working as bodyguards to VIPs are recalled. The mandate of the Prisons Department is to provide security to prisoners and correctional facilities and that is why they have been recalled to serve in accordance to the mandate of the department,” Osugo told The Standard on phone from Lodwar.

However, Raila, through his spokesman Dennis Onyango, protested the move, saying it could be part of allegations made recently by government spokesman Muthui Kariuki that the CORD leader was clinging to State vehicles and buying an illegal siren to clear traffic for himself.