Since former Prime Minister Raila Odinga unleashed a series of protests in a bid to compel the state to lower the cost of living, it seems his close allies, diehards and supporters have had to pay the price.
Ranging from his communications machine to members of Parliament in his orbit and supporters at the bottom of the food chain, some individuals who participated in last week's 3-day demos found themselves behind bars or in dingy rooms at undisclosed locations.
Others, like former Mungiki leader Maina Njenga, went missing without a trace only to resurface on Monday morning in the hands of the police.
Here is a list of all eight high-ranking Azimio la Umoja in Odinga's circle that spent a night on a cold slab.
1. Babu Owino
Outspoken Embakasi East MP Babu Owino, on Sunday, recounted the inhumane conditions he was subjected to during the three-day detention following his arrest at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) on Tuesday, July 18.
“I was handcuffed, blindfolded and thrown in the boot of a Subaru car. I was driven into the middle of nowhere and put in solitary confinement for three days.
“For the period, I was not given food, no access to my family and my legal representative,” he narrated.
Owino was arrested alongside Calvince "Gaucho" Okoth, an Azimio die-hard, for participating in protests and was presented at Milimani Law Courts where he was charged with conspiracy to commit subversive activities.
He was released on a cash bail of Ksh100,000 on Friday, July 21.
2. Teddy Mwambire
Kilifi County Assembly Speaker Teddy Mwambire was finally released from behind bars on Monday, July 24, after spending a gut-wrenching 5 days in custody since his arrest on Wednesday.
He was arrested alongside three other individuals in Mtwapa during the countrywide protests spearheaded by the coalition's leader.
On Friday, July 21, the Mombasa Court declined to release him despite already spending two nights in custody, one at the Kilifi Police Station and the other at Shimo la Tewa Prison. The magistrate at the time noted that she had not finished writing her ruling.
The politician was, eventually, released on Monday morning on a Ksh50,000 cash bail.
3. Ken Chonga
Kilifi South MP Ken Chonga also spent an excruciating 5 days behind bars after he was arrested alongside Mwambire during the protests in Kilifi County.
Chonga was charged with participating in unlawful assembly alongside the Kilifi County Assembly speaker and two other individuals.
"Ken Chonga... took part in a procession (maandamano) and chanted anti-government slogans thereby causing a member of the public to reasonably fear that you were assembled to commit a breach of peace,” read part of the charge sheet.
The lawmaker also spent nights at Kilifi Police Station and Shimo la Tewa Prison before his release on Monday morning on a Ksh50,000 cash bail.
4. Antony Oluoch
First reports regarding the arrest of Mathare MP Antony Oluoch emerged on Friday, July 21, after Azimio la Umoja's top communications organ alleged that he had been abducted.
The leaders claimed that he was picked up on Thursday, July 20, while refueling his car along Ngong Road. He was then taken to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) alongside three Members of the County Assembly (MCAs) for grilling.
The four were accused of mobilising the youth to cause chaos.
Two days later, the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party noted that the lawmaker had been transferred to Karuri Police Station in Kiambu County. Oluoch was presented at Milimani Law Courts to take a plea on Monday.
5. Peter Imwatok
Nairobi County Assembly Majority Leader Peter Imwatok was also presented at Milimani Law Courts on Monday to take a plea.
The lawmaker, who represents Makongeni Ward, was arrested alongside three others over their associations with the protests that rocked the country between Wednesday and Friday.
He was grilled at DCI offices on Saturday and was accused of mobilising the youth to demonstrate by dishing out money.
6. Pauline Njoroge
Jubilee Party Deputy Organising Secretary Pauline Njoroge's woes with law enforcement kicked off on Saturday, July 22, after police officers intercepted a vehicle she was travelling in with two other occupants.
She was taken into custody the same evening and a few hours later, the authorities accused her of possessing four rolls of dry plant material suspected to be narcotic drugs.
The officers attached to Watamu Police Station later claimed that they escorted her to her rented room at Mawe Zuri Resort and found a clear container containing ten (10) tablets suspected to be narcotic substances.
She was still behind bars by the time of publishing.
7. Maurice Ogeta
Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga's bodyguard Maurice Ogeta was found dumped along Kangundo Road on Saturday, July 22, after missing for two days.
Speaking to the press on Sunday, the bodyguard noted that he was blindfolded and taken to an unknown location where he was kept in an empty room without food.
“The room I was taken to had nothing other than two beds. It wasn’t a good environment to eat anyway,” he stated.
During the detention, Ogeta noted that the officers pressured him into telling them the Azimo leader’s itinerary and route plans for the anti-government protest. This, he asserts, went on for three days but he stood firm and never disclosed any information.
8. Denis Onyango
Raila Odinga's spokesperson Dennis Onyango was also arrested at the onset of the Wednesday, July 19, demonstrations.
According to Azimio, Onyango was whisked away to an unknown location after he was picked up by plain-clothed police officers at his house on Raila Odinga Road (formerly Mbagathi Way).
Onyango was reportedly forcefully ejected from his house and bundled inside a Subaru car commandeered by people who did not reveal their identities.
On Thursday, National Assembly Minority Leader Opiyo Wandayi confirmed that Onyango was released maintaining that the arrest was shrouded in mystery.
