Kasmuel McOure’s Baba Bodyguards on Maandamano Revelation

The revelation of Kasmuel McOure Baba’s bodyguards during Maandamanos has sparked emotions across the country. The fiery Gen Z activist revealed the late Raila Odinga’s persistent outreach and secret protection during the heated 2024 protests, while also acknowledging his resistance to the opposition icon’s outreach.

Kasmuel, a face of the youth-led Finance Bill uprising that rocked Ruto’s regime last year, shared the heartfelt confession in a raw podcast interview dropped Monday on the YouTube channel Mic Cheque, his voice cracking as he reflected on Raila’s October 15 passing.

Seated in a dimly lit studio with protest banners as a backdrop, the activist recounted how “Baba” repeatedly sent emissaries with invitations to State House dialogues, only for Kasmuel to brush them off as co-option attempts.

“BABA always made efforts to reach out to me, but I resisted,” he confessed, eyes distant. The bombshell? Raila quietly detailed four plainclothes bodyguards to shadow him during the chaotic Maandamanos marches from CBD to Uhuru Park, shielding the vocal critic from potential harm amid tear gas clouds and baton charges.

The disclosure paints Raila in a paternal light, a leader who bridged generational gaps even as Gen Z torches lit up streets against his Azimio alliances.

Kasmuel, who once branded Raila “part of the system” in viral rants that earned him arrests and admirers alike, now credits the bodyguards with saving his skin during a July skirmish near Parliament, where stray bullets felled comrades.

“He even assigned four bodyguards to protect me during Maandamanos I attended,” Kasmuel revealed, pausing as the host leaned in.

Those guardians, burly men blending into crowds with earpieces hidden under caps, reportedly reported back to Baba on the ground pulse, feeding intel that shaped Azimio’s protest playbook.

Critics, though, twisted the knife, accusing Kasmuel of revisionism for clout post Baba’s burial. “Convenient memory now that he’s gone,” sniped a top reply.

Kasmuel’s nod hints at thawing, perhaps paving the way for ODM youth wings to reclaim streets or negotiate tables.

Podcast host Juliani, a veteran rapper turned mentor, wrapped the segment with, “Baba built bridges we burnt; time to rebuild.”

As November rain lashes Nairobi rooftops, Kasmuel’s words linger like protest smoke.

From resisted outreach to revealed guardians, the revelation humanises a legend and a movement. In a Kenya where youth voices echo loudest, Baba’s silent shields speak volumes, urging the next wave to listen closer.