A past incident involving former Prime Minister Raila Odinga has resurfaced, recalling how an iPad belonging to his team was stolen during a burial ceremony in Muhoroni, Kisumu County, before being recovered within hours.
The incident occurred in October 2022, when Odinga travelled to Muhoroni to attend the burial of an educationist. During the crowded gathering, security personnel escorting him were involved in pushing and shoving as they navigated through the crowd.
Amid the confusion, an iPad being used by Odinga’s aide, Maurice Ogeta, went missing. Ogeta only realised the device had disappeared after Odinga was already seated at the venue.
It was initially unclear whether Ogeta had accidentally dropped the iPad during the commotion or whether it had been snatched by a thief from his cargo trousers.
Ogeta reportedly considered the possibility that he had left the device inside the helicopter that had flown them to the venue. However, he was confident that he had the iPad with him when they disembarked.
With Odinga needing the device, arrangements were quickly made to obtain a replacement. A new iPad was purchased, while an Apple technician helped transfer the information stored on the missing device through an iCloud backup.
The replacement was then transported to Kisumu on a Kenya Airways flight as efforts to locate the original continued.
Meanwhile, Ogeta reported the loss to police, prompting the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to track the missing device.
The tracking efforts reportedly paid off after the suspected thief was apprehended near Kericho while travelling towards Nairobi.
By about 2pm, both the replacement and recovered iPads had arrived in Kisumu. The helicopter pilot delivered the new device to the venue, allowing Odinga to continue with his engagements without immediately noticing the switch.
The 2022 incident also highlighted the security challenges faced at political gatherings, where large crowds can provide opportunities for phone and electronic-device theft.
The account further noted that some suspected phone snatchers at political events have previously disguised themselves in formal suits and ties, while others allegedly pose as security personnel to avoid detection.
The incident remains a notable episode from Odinga’s political life.
The former Prime Minister died on October 15, 2025, aged 80, bringing to an end a decades-long career at the centre of Kenya’s political affairs.