Advertisement

Canadian working in Kenya with election opposition candidate facing deportation

Click to play video: 'Canadian, American to be deported from Kenya as opposition headquarters raided'
Canadian, American to be deported from Kenya as opposition headquarters raided
WATCH ABOVE: A Canadian and American were detained in Kenya and ordered deported as an opposition headquarters was raided – Aug 5, 2017

A company working on campaign data in Kenya says Canadian staffer Andreas Katsouris was detained Friday night and faces deportation later Saturday, along with the CEO of the company, John Aristotle Phillips.

A supporter holds a painting of Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta at an election rally in Uhuru Park in downtown Nairobi, Kenya Friday, Aug. 4, 2017.
A supporter holds a painting of Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta at an election rally in Uhuru Park in downtown Nairobi, Kenya Friday, Aug. 4, 2017. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

The two men were assisting opposition candidate Raila Odinga with issues including strategy and data analysis and had chosen to get involved in the Kenyan election because they thought it had the potential for irregularities.

Story continues below advertisement

The U.S. Embassy in Kenya says an American and a Canadian who were detained ahead of Tuesday’s tightly contested election are “safe and departing” the country.

The embassy said Saturday on Twitter that U.S. and Canadian officials have been in touch with their detained citizens as well as the Kenyan government.

Kenya’s main opposition coalition says the American and the Canadian were assisting its campaign and that they were detained on Friday. It is not immediately clear why they were detained.

James Orengo, a senior member of the National Super Alliance, says two Ghanaians working on the opposition campaign also have been deported.

Sponsored content

AdChoices