Otiende Amollo Threatened Raila in Text - Mbadi

Former Prime Minister  Raila Odinga (left) and Rarieda MP Otiende Amollo at a past event.
Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga (left) and Rarieda MP Otiende Amollo at an event in Siaya County on March 5, 2019.
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Otiende Amollo

UPDATE: Rarieda MP Otiende Amollo has refuted claims that he sent a threatening text message to former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.

Speaking on Citizen TV on Thursday, May 6, 2021, Amollo argued that Raila did not orchestrate his removal from the National Assembly Justice and Legal Affairs Committee (JLAC).

“Other than being my party leader, Raila is my client so if I were to snub a meeting with him as the ODM leader, I will still go as a client,” he said.


New details have emerged regarding a threatening message that Rarieda MP Otiende Amollo allegedly sent to former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.

It all began with a call for a sit down between the former premier, Amollo and Siaya Senator James Orengo on Monday, May 3, to iron out the wrangles within the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party over the stance on the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) document.

The Nation quotes ODM Chairman John Mbadi indicating that Amollo and Orengo snubbed the meeting.

He further claimed that Amollo sent a threatening message to the former Prime Minister threatening to step down from his role as the deputy chair of the National Assembly Justice and Legal Affairs Committee (JLAC).

Lawyers Otiende Amollo and James Orengo in court
Lawyers Otiende Amollo and James Orengo in court
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Mbadi noted that the lawmaker's text was the last strike that saw him kicked out of the committee on Tuesday, May 4.

"When Otiende and Orengo were in Kadem, Nyatike, last Saturday, Jakom  heard audio and called the two to meet him on Monday," stated Mbadi.

He added that Amollo had been invited for "issuing opinions contrary to the party position on the BBI only for the Rarieda MP to respond with threats."

In his response on Thursday, May 6, the Rarieda lawmaker noted that he would not be sucked into the spin master culture aimed at doctoring issues.

"This is the art of spin mastering. you try to spin doctor to move the issue from what it is to where you want it to go. I refuse to be spun. I speak to my party leader and I have no issue with him. He is actually my client," he explained.

He added that he saw his ouster coming and claimed that his JLAC position did not attract any discernible benefits in form of allowances.

"I saw this coming. Politics has its vicissitude and things must change. One year ago I was a member of Public Accounts Committee now I am back there.

"The opportunity to serve as the vice chair of JLAC was a responsibility without benefits contrary to what people think. You do not get any distinct office, You do not travel in any better circumstances and no additional allowance. What you do is you have an additional responsibility," he added.

He also noted that he did not snub any meeting with Raila and that they are yet to meet because he (Raila) is still recuperating.

An image of John Mbadi in 2019
National Assembly Minority Leader John Mbadi holding up an ODM party membership card in 2019
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