Details emerged about how ODM leader Raila Odinga personally intervened to help boost the political career of his trusted ally Suna East MP Junet Mohammed who was vying for a parliamentary seat for the first time in 2013.
In a recent interview, lawyer Duncan Ojwang recalled a tale Junet narrated to him about why he was so loyal to Odinga.
According to Ojwang', when the former PM's blue-eyed boy was denied the ODM certificate despite defeating the incumbent, John Pesa, he decided to talk to Odinga.
"Junet called Raila's bodyguards who told him that the ODM leader was travelling from North Eastern but was scheduled to make a stop at a certain hotel," the lawyer narrated.
Junet went and found the likes of Jakoyo Midiwo who was a senior member of ODM and Raila's cousin.
They tried to chase him away but the MP managed to get Raila's attention. Odinga explained that under the current circumstances, his candidature would trigger tensions in the constituency and stepped into the car.
Junet trailed the former PM until he called and promised to intervene but the MP was still dissatisfied.
The Suna East legislator followed Odinga to his home and pitched camp. At around 8pm, Raila received a call from ODM officials among them Kisumu Governor Anyang' Nyong'o, Dalmas Otieno and his former PA Caroli Omondi.
"They expressed their displeasure about Junet's candidature and Raila appeared to question the decision to include Junet in the party's list of nominees.
"Who has put Junet, could it be that someone sneaked him in?" Raila questioned while smiling at the MP who was listening in on the conversation. The officials asked to come over to Odinga's home and solve the issue but he told them he was already in bed.
At around 10pm Raila called a trusted party official to confirm the names on the final list which had been sent to the Interim Independent Electoral Commission of Kenya (IIEC) at the time.
Satisfied that his name was on the list, Junet went home but the following day, ODM officials, with Odinga in tow, rushed to the commission to protest that the MP had forged his nomination certificate.
A case was filed at the High Court in Kisii over the alleged forged certificate but in the end, Junet emerged victorious, going to win the Suna East MP against his rival who vied on an independent ticket.
Junet has enjoyed a close relationship with the ODM leader since he was elected unopposed as a Mayor in Migori at only 26 years of age after Odinga's endorsement.
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