The Lower Eastern Times Opening The Third Eye
Related Articles
Opposition leader Raila Odinga has rejected the move to remove Junet Mohamed, the Member of Parliament for Suna East, from key leadership roles within the party.
During a meeting with party delegates in Hola, Tana River County, Raila dismissed the rumors of ejecting the party’s minority whip, emphasizing that such claims were an attempt to sow discord within the party.
“Junet is not going anywhere; those are mere rumors by the media. In every household, people can differ in opinions, and that is normal. Junet has not gone anywhere; nobody has laid a finger on him. He is the director of campaigns at the ODM party,” Raila asserted.
The comments from Raila followed revelations that Junet, a close confidant of the opposition leader, received a ‘show cause’ letter, requiring an explanation for his absence from party activities.
The letter, dated January 11, gave him seven days to clarify his non-attendance at crucial meetings, including Party Parliamentary Group meetings, since the 2022 General Election.
In response to the summons, Junet acknowledged awareness of the letter but claimed he had not been officially served.
This move within the party sparked concerns among members, with former Mombasa Governor Ali Hassan Joho condemning it as unnecessary. Joho, the deputy party leader at ODM, has also been notably absent from significant party events, including visits by Raila to his coastal political stronghold.
Junet, a third-term MP, holds key positions within ODM, serving as the National Assembly Minority Whip, Azimio Secretary-General, ODM Director of Campaigns, and Parliamentary Affairs Secretary. His challenges within the party began after the 2022 elections, where some members criticized him for alleged mismanagement of campaigns and failure to hire party agents, contributing to Raila’s loss in the presidential polls.
Raila, however, defended Junet at that time, attributing the election-related issues to the electoral agency’s mismanagement.
Meanwhile, Raila reiterated his stance that Azimio principals remain united despite differing opinions on the National Dialogue Committee (Nadco) report released last year. The coalition’s affiliate parties, including Narc Kenya, Wiper, DAP-K, and Jubilee, have held separate political meetings as some leaders express their intention to vie for the presidency in 2027.
Azimio has scheduled a meeting on Thursday to chart a way forward for its members.
