Suna East legislator Junet Mohammed rose to become opposition leader Raila Odinga's most trusted ally after the former Prime Minister shaped his political career.
Junet was among the two people who accompanied Raila when he met with President Uhuru Kenyatta in a closed-door meeting which lasted close to three hours.
The only other person who was present was the former Prime Minister's daughter Winnie Odinga.
Junet who started out as a shopkeeper in Migori town is arguably the closest confidante that Raila has today.
[caption caption="ODM leader Raila Odinga and Suna East MP Junet Mohammed"]
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Political analyst Dismas Mokua stated“He is without doubt Raila’s most trusted ally. In the recent Raila’s highs and lows, Junet has never stood far."
After announcing that he would boycott last year’s repeat presidential polls, Raila went on a private trip and just before the five days trip ended, photos of Raila and the MP in Zanzibar emerged.
Junet narrated how he met Raila who kick-started his political career stating:“I first met and spoke with Raila in 2003, previously he would visit Migori town and I would attend his meetings, and when I met him, my young political life took a turn for the better.”
Former Migori lawmaker Owino Likowa, in appreciation of the work Junet had for him as the treasurer of his campaign team, requested Raila to nominate him as a councillor in the town.
In January 2013, Junet won ODM nominations for Suna East constituency but he was denied the certificate because of unknown reasons an event which he notes almost finished his short-lived political career luckily for him Raila intervened and he was handed the certificate.
[caption caption="Nominated MP Oburu Oginga, ODM leader Raila Odinga and Suna East MP Junet Mohammed "]
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He recalls that when he first told Raila he wanted to run for the parliamentary seat in 2013, he laughed.
“He asked me if that is what I really wanted, then told me that he will gauge my political strength and advise accordingly,” Junet stated.
Four days later after their conversation in the Prime Minister’s office in Nairobi, Raila was in Migori accompanied to officiate a project and later proceeded for a rally in the town where he held Junet’s hand and asked the crowd if they knew the young man and that night raila advised him to go ahead and campaign.
