Former Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho now wants leaders within the ODM party to stop blaming Suna East MP Junet Mohamed for Raila Odinga's defeat in the 2022 presidential poll.
According to Joho, Junet is the only individual in the team that was set to deliver victory to the Opposition leader.
"Tena kuna wengine wanasema Junet ndiye aliangusha Baba, Junet mmoja ana uwezo gani?" he posed.
This loosely translates to, "There are others who say Junet is the one who failed Baba, what power does one Junet have?"
He went on to say that Junet, who is currently the National Assembly Minority Whip, gave his all to the campaigns.
Joho insisted that he only went to sleep after Raila had gone to sleep and always woke up way before anyone from their team, all in a bid to deliver victory for the Azimio leader.
"I know Junet Mohamed. While in Nairobi, he is a great and important servant of Raila Amollo Odinga. I know it. During the campaigns, Junet never slept until Baba (Raila) went to bed and he woke up before Baba woke up. When I am in Mombasa, the first phone call I received always came from Junet and it was the same with many of you here," the ODM deputy party leader said.
Joho added that some people joined them later and all they wanted to see was that Junet is brought down.
He insisted it is time such issues about the 2022 presidential poll are put to rest, once and for all.
Joho said that people pushing that narrative have ulterior motives and are only out to destroy the ODM party.
Soon after Raila lost the 2022 presidential election to William Ruto, his chief agent Saitabao Kanchory published a book alleging that the former Prime Minister put too much trust in the Suna East MP.
He claimed that Raila listened to no one except Junet.
After the election, Junet took a political back seat and never participated in key party functions.
This further fuelled beliefs that he caused Raila's defeat.
Some leaders within ODM then called for his ouster as Minority Whip.
The ODM party on the other hand asked him to explain his absence from its functions.
Raila, however, defended Junet saying that he was going nowhere.
He admitted that while people might disagree on opinions, the Suna East MP remained a member and leader within the party.
