Only Mama Ida and Oburu Knew Raila More Than Me - Junet to Sifuna

Suna East MP Junet Mohamed and Raila

Suna East MP Junet Mohamed has strongly dismissed assertions by a section of leaders who now claim to understand the late Raila Odinga better than those who worked closely with him.

Speaking on Thursday, April 30, during the burial of Mzee Edwin Koech, the father of Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir, Junet criticised what he described as opportunistic narratives emerging after Raila’s passing.

He insisted that only Ida Odinga and Oburu Oginga could claim a deeper personal understanding of Raila than himself.

Addressing William Ruto, the legislator urged the Head of State to disregard what he termed as “background noise” from critics attempting to reinterpret Raila’s political vision.

According to Junet, his long-standing role as a close aide placed him in a unique position to articulate the former Prime Minister’s ideals and ambitions for both the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) and the country.

He stated that ODM’s participation in the current broad-based government aligns with the direction Raila had endorsed, brushing off dissenting voices with a metaphor suggesting that criticism does not derail progress.

Reinforcing his stance, Junet declared:

“For those of us who knew Baba, because some new prophets have come up, who claim that they knew Baba more than us. I am, in fact, shocked that there are Kenyans who claim that they knew him more than I did; it is only Mama Ida and his brother Oburu. I was his handyman.”

The MP also revealed details of a prior engagement between President Ruto and Raila, noting that discussions around the proposed National Infrastructure Fund had received Raila’s approval before being introduced in Parliament. He described the late leader as supportive of the initiative, encouraging its advancement.

Looking ahead, Junet affirmed ODM’s intention to remain within the current governing arrangement, framing it as a strategic move toward shaping the next administration beyond the 2027 elections. He emphasised that the party would not retreat into opposition, but instead leverage its position within government to build future political momentum.

His remarks come amid internal tensions within ODM, particularly following comments by Edwin Sifuna, who has accused certain factions of straying from Raila’s original roadmap. Sifuna has consistently argued that ODM should independently contest the presidency in 2027, maintaining that Raila never signalled support for President Ruto’s re-election bid.