By Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Daily Nation
Published on 2024-01-23 16:35:29
Raila Odinga, the opposition leader, has dismissed plans to remove Suna East lawmaker Junet Mohamed from the party’s key leadership positions. He asserted this during a meeting with party delegates in Hola, Tana River County, on the second day of his tour of the Coast region. Odinga stated that the claims to oust the party’s minority whip were aimed at creating a rift in the party.
Addressing the issue, Odinga emphasized that Junet Mohamed is not going anywhere, dismissing the rumors as mere media speculation. He affirmed that differing opinions are normal within a party and vouched for Mohamed’s position as the director of campaigns at the ODM party.
The opposition leader’s comments were in response to revelations that Mohamed had been issued a ‘show cause’ letter to explain his absence in party activities. The letter, dated January 11, required Mohamed to explain his continuous absence from crucial party meetings within seven days.
In an interview, Mohamed stated that he was aware of the letter but had not yet been served. The summons created unease among party members, drawing criticism from influential figures like former Mombasa Governor Ali Hassan Joho, also a deputy party leader at ODM.
Mohamed, who holds significant leadership roles within the party, including National Assembly Minority Whip, Azimio Secretary-General, ODM Director of Campaigns, and Parliamentary Affairs Secretary, faced criticism after the 2022 elections for alleged mismanagement of campaigns. However, Odinga defended him, attributing the electoral challenges to the mismanagement by the electoral agency, IEBC.
Odinga also affirmed the unity among the Azimio principals, despite differing opinions on the National Dialogue Committee (Nadco) report. Additionally, the coalition’s affiliate parties, including Narc Kenya, Wiper, DAP-K, and Jubilee, have been holding separate political meetings, with some party leaders declaring their interest in vying for the presidency in 2027. Azimio is expected to convene a meeting to chart a way forward for their members.
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