President Uhuru Kenyatta. [Photo/nation.co.ke]
Opposition leader Raila Odinga arrived back into the country Friday to great public fanfare.
If he thought that his ''grand reception'' would be smooth, he was in for a rude shock.
Odinga's procession from the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport had to contend with tear gas and gunshots as police tried to disperse his supporters.
Friday was a marked departure from ''The baba while you were away'' homecoming where he was accorded state security as he cruised from the JKIA to Uhuru Park.
The veteran opposition leader was not allowed to access the iconic Uhuru Park grounds where he was expected to address his supporters, forcing him to address them at Upper Hill near his Capitol Hill offices.
Events of Friday were meant to send a powerful message to Raila; that the Uhuru administration's patience with the opposition leader is fast wearing thin.
In the past, the president has acted meekly, allowing his archrival free rein.
That is now changing, and the government is embracing a clear policy of fighting back.
During Gakuru's funeral, President Uhuru Kenyatta made the assurance that he would not allow those hell-bent on destroying the country in a thinly-veiled attack on Odinga.
''We will not allow few people to destroy the country...'' President Kenyatta said.