Azimio Leaders Go Into Hiding As Babu Owino Arrested at JKIA

Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Alliance coalition party leaders are allegedly in hiding following reports of a police hunt.

It is said that the officials who are expected to lead protests against the government went into hiding on Tuesday evening and are yet to resurface.

This was after Embakasi East MP Babu Owino was detained at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) following his arrival from Mombasa.

Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Party Director of Communications Philip Etale confirmed Babu’s arrested but said the police had not disclosed the reason for the arrest.

Read: Gov’t Orders Closure Of Schools In Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu Over Anti Govt Demos

“Babu was arrested when he was in the company of other Nairobi Members of Parliament with whom he was attending a meeting organised by Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KeRRA),” Etale stated.

Also taken into custody were Members of the County Assembly and pockets of activists including Bunge la Wananchi president Calvin Okoth alias Gaucho.

The police accused the detainees of planning protests which the Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome declared illegal.

Police are still looking for opposition leaders in different parts of the country as Kenyans ready themselves for three days of anti-government protests.

Read Also: Former First Lady Mama Ngina’s Security Withdrawn Over Protests

This comes as the government ordered the closure of day schools in Mombasa, Kisumu and Nairobi.

“The Government has received credible security intelligence that criminal elements intend to engage in armed skirmishes with security agencies around certain schools within Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu,” said CSs Kithure Kindiki and Ezekiel Machogu in a joint statement.

“As a precautionary measure to ensure the safety of school children, it has been decided that all day Primary and Secondary schools within Nairobi and Mombasa cities shall remain closed tomorrow.”

The government is also said to have withdrawn former first lady Mama Ngina’s security.