Bungoma Jubilee Party Chairman Didmus Barasa, on Sunday, September 15, broke his silence after reports emerged that he had received a scolding from Deputy President William Ruto during a private meeting.
The Star had reported that the Kimilili MP was reprimanded by the DP after forcefully replacing Sirisia MP John Waluke as the region's Jubilee Party chairman.
In an exclusive phone call with Kenyans.co.ke, Barasa refuted the claims explaining that the ouster process was carried out democratically.
The lawmaker added that ever since he took over the reins at the county branch two weeks ago, he has continued to hold meetings with the DP but the ouster never came up in any of them.
"I never had any meeting [with the DP] on the subject matter. I am also not the one who toppled him [Sirisia MP], it is the members of the party who replaced him with me.
"What happened is that the MCAs called for a meeting with all constituency chairmen, sat down, deliberated, resolved and put me as the chairman on an interim basis," stated Cohen.
He further insinuated Walukhe was behind the allegations citing what he called a waning political influence in the county by the Sirisia MP.
"You should read that report as fake... Maybe those are the statements by Walukhe who is completely a dying horse in Bungoma politics," he added.
Earlier reports had indicated that the DP had berated Barasa for allegedly ignoring an earlier warning by his party and making the party appear divided.
The lawmaker will lead the county in an acting capacity until March 2020 when the next party elections are expected to take place.
