For some politicians, avoiding arrest is not only a matter of legal battles but one of survival. Faced with the prospect of spending a night in jail, these leaders went to extreme lengths to stay out of custody.
From going off the grid by switching off their phones to mastering disguise and even hiding in underground bunkers, they turned evasion into an art.
As police launched manhunts, these politicians stayed one step ahead, using bold and unexpected tricks to dodge capture. Here’s a look at the three clever tactics that kept them out of handcuffs.
Disguise
Retired Archbishop Zacchaeus Okoth, a close ally of Opposition leader Raila Odinga, helped the latter evade arrest during a crackdown on anti-government politicians in the 1980s and early 1990s.
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According to Raila, Archbishop Okoth dressed him as a Catholic priest and helped him escape. The disguise made it difficult for the police to identify him.
With Archbishop Okoth's help, Raila boarded a boat that ferried him to Uganda through Lake Victoria. He later moved to Norway, where he secured asylum.
In July 2023, Azimio la Umoja One Kenya legislators also used the same trick to avoid police arrest. The police targeted MPs from the opposition in a bid to scuttle the protests.
According to lawyers presenting the legislators, their clients were being arrested so frequently that on one occasion, they had to disguise themselves using legio Maria outfits to evade the police.
Hiding inside a bunker
Following the 2017 presidential election that saw Raila inaugurate himself as the ‘People’s President,’ business and politician Jimi Wanjigi was wanted by police over claims of having illegal weapons.
Police broke into his house and conducted a search, but they were not able to arrest the businessman.
Media reports indicate that Wanjigi locked himself inside a bunker in his house. The police were unable to access the bunker and effect the arrest.
After days of evading the police, Wanjigi, through his lawyer, moved to court, where they secured anticipatory bail, thus blocking his arrest until the matter against him was heard and determined.
Switching off the Phone
In July 2023, opposition leaders were under the radar of the police due to anti-government protests in the country.
One such leader was Jeremiah Kioni, who had to switch off his phones for several days to avoid being tracked by the police. One method police use to identify the location of a person of interest is to track their phone's location.
By switching off his phones, Kioni made it difficult for the police to identify where he was.
The Jubilee Party Secretary General also noted that he traveled undercover and exercised extra caution when driving and visiting different areas.
"I have not used these phones from Wednesday to Sunday to avoid the police who are tracing and chasing people around," Kioni was quoted.
This trick was also reportedly used by Kimilili, Member of Parliament Didmus Barasa when he was wanted over allegations of murder.
The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) back then, Noordin Haji noted that they had not managed to detain Barasa because he was evading arrest by being offline.
