“Junet Mohamed Faces ODM Ouster Amid Allegations of Misused Campaign Funds”

Core development
A fierce internal battle in the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has placed Suna East MP Junet Mohamed on the defensive, with influential party figures reportedly pushing to strip him of his position and replace him with Embakasi East MP Babu Owino. The pressure follows renewed controversy over money allegedly provided by former President Uhuru Kenyatta to finance Raila Odinga’s 2022 election agents, funds that rivals claim never properly reached the ground.
Alleged meeting and humiliation
The viral claim circulating on social media says Junet was “on his knees” before Oburu Odinga at ODM offices, pleading for political survival after a high‑level meeting involving Oburu Odinga, Ida Odinga, and ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna. According to this account, the talks centered on a plan to eject Junet from his party role and have him replaced by Babu Owino, portraying the incident as a dramatic symbol of his waning influence.
The money trail and accusations
At the heart of the storm is the question: “Who ate Uhuru’s money?”—a phrase now widely used in Kenyan media to describe the dispute over funds meant for Raila’s agents in the 2022 polls. Sifuna and other critics accuse Junet of mishandling or failing to account for these resources, arguing that unpaid or missing agents left Raila’s votes exposed and contributed to his defeat.
Junet has publicly rejected these allegations, insisting that Uhuru Kenyatta released the money to his brother Muhoho Kenyatta, who then oversaw agent logistics from a restricted Westlands office beyond ODM’s direct control. He argues that if he had betrayed Raila, he would never have been entrusted with senior roles such as Leader of Minority in the National Assembly.
ODM succession politics and Babu Owino’s rise
The fund saga is unfolding alongside a broader succession and power struggle within ODM following Raila Odinga’s exit from active party leadership and the emergence of competing camps over strategy toward President William Ruto’s administration. Babu Owino has positioned himself as a bold, youthful champion against cooperation with Ruto, challenging established figures like Oburu Odinga and demanding greater influence in the party.
Talk of replacing Junet with Babu thus reflects more than a personal rivalry; it signals a clash between an older guard blamed by some for past failures and younger politicians seeking to redefine ODM ahead of the 2027 elections. Any formal move to elevate Babu into Junet’s space would likely deepen factional lines, energizing youth support while risking further fragmentation.
What remains unconfirmed
While televised interviews, party statements, and news reports clearly confirm the existence of a bitter dispute over 2022 agent funds and Junet’s role, the specific scene of him kneeling before Oburu Odinga currently rests on partisan and social‑media narration rather than verified institutional records. No official ODM communication has publicly announced Junet’s removal or Babu Owino’s formal appointment to his position, and key details of the alleged meeting remain contested.
For now, the episode illustrates how unresolved questions about campaign money have become a weapon in ODM’s internal wars, shaping reputations, alliances, and the battle over who will control the party’s future direction.