Former Odinga aide denies link to Zimbabwe election violence

The former Kenyan opposition leader Raila Odinga’s personal assistant Silas Jakakimba has dismissed claims that he was linked to the post-election violence in Zimbabwe that left six people dead.

Zimbabwe Republic Police spokesperson Charity Charamba said on Saturday night police were keen to interview Jakakimba in connection with the violence and gave the public hotline numbers for anyone with information on the Kenyan to call the police.

According to the Kenyan newspaper, the Star, Jakakimba said in a statement yesterday that the purported claim “is not even remotely possible”.

He, however, said he was in Zimbabwe on 27 July to convey a special message from Odinga to the Movement for Democratic Change Alliance at its last rally and returned to his country three days later.

“I arrived on Friday July 27, on the eve of that major rally. If you check YouTube footage, you will notice Nelson Chamisa informing the mammoth crowd that ‘the Alliance is pleased to welcome goodwill message from Raila,” he said.

Jakakimba said he was received at the airport by Tsvangirai’s wife and his former PA, Joseph Mungwari, information which he said could be verified by Zimbabwe immigration officers.

He said when he left, “Harare was normal, folks warm and welcoming, streets busy and skies clear-blue”.

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