Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD) leader Raila Odinga has on numerous occasions been praised for nurturing and uplifting a couple of politicians.
Most of these have gone ahead to make tremendous contribution in shaping the political map of the country.
As the saying goes, politics is a dirty game and the ride is not always smooth. A number of these politicians have brushed shoulders with Odinga along the way and consequently abandoned him.
Kenyans.co.ke has delved into some of those who exited from the opposition kingpin's wings and have plausibly achieved more political mileage than they did under his leadership.
1. William Ruto
A highly agreeable case is that of Raila's political ally turned rival – Deputy President William Ruto – who since falling out with the Opposition leader back in 2011 has exemplary scaled the political heights.
The Raila-Ruto fall out was preceded by an incident in 2011 where the former Prime Minister suspended Ruto from the Agriculture Ministry over a multi-billion maize scandal.
During the run up to the 2013 General Election Ruto joined hands with now President Uhuru Kenyatta to form the Jubilee Alliance and challenged Odinga's CORD coalition.
In the hotly contested poll, the UhuRuto alliance garnered 6.1 million votes against Raila's 5.3 million landing a defiant Ruto second-in-command of the country's leadership.
Aside from holding the envious position, an ambitious Ruto has already proclaimed his plan to vie for presidency come 2022.
2. Joseph Nkaissery
The current Interior Cabinet Secretary parted ways with the CORD leader in December 2014 after he was selected for the position.
The former Kajiado Central Member of Parliament (MP) was for a long time a staunch member of the Orange Democratic Movement and his joining the government came as a surprise to many.
Nkaissery was placed in charge of the docket at a time when the country was experiencing rampant cases of terror attacks that resulted to dozens of deaths.
Since his appointment, he has emerged as one of the most powerful Ministers in Uhuru's government with his no-nonsense talks being described as instrumental in restoring security in the country.
3. Aden Duale
Another case of politicians who have done well after ditching Odinga's ship is the now National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale.
The Garissa Member of Parliament cut ties with the opposition after continuous wrangles within the party.
Since his exit from ODM, Duale has successfully maintained his parliamentary seat and political popularity as the majority leader. He also acclaims to hold the third most powerful position in the country.
4. Najib Balala
Fourth in the list of the successful politicians who left the opposition is Tourism Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala.
The CS's departure took place in 2012 after which he pursued the Mombasa senatorial seat. Following his failure to secure the position against Hassan Omar, he was later appointed by the president to his ministerial position.
Notably applauded for his achievements in the ministry, Balala has gained the respect of both the government and the opposition for honourably articulating his responsibilities and giving the country a spearhead in the East African Community.
5. Charity Ngilu
The former Lands CS broke ranks with the Opposition chief just months before the 2013 General Election despite having indicated an intention to support Odinga.
The move was rather unexpected since the two had stuck together as members of the Pentagon which included among others Ruto and Balala in the run up the 2007 Election.
After the Jubilee administration came into power, she was given the Lands job where she served until 2015 when she was relieved of her duties on allegations of corruption.
In the August General Election, she however has ditched Jubilee and is now supporting NASA. She could become one of the country's first female governors if she succeeds in her attempt to dethrone Kitui Governor Julius Malombe.
