Pressure builds up against National Assembly Minority Leader and Suna East MP Junet Mohamed following new split developments between the Azimio La Umoja – One Kenya coalition.
On Tuesday, January 13, seven of the Azimio affiliate parties demanded the immediate exit of Junet from all leadership positions in the opposition alliance citing his utterances deemed to be damaging the legacy of the former President of Kenya, Uhuru Kenyatta.
In a joint statement, the two sides expressed their alarm over reckless and defamatory remarks attributed to the Minority Leader, warning that this kind of talk has the potential to widen rifts in the Azimio movement at a time when unity in Parliament is absolutely vital.
“We, however, wish to register our deep concern over the continued reckless and defamatory statements by some officials of Azimio la Umoja One Kenya party, particularly the one named Hon. Junet Mohamed,” the statement read.
The affiliate parties contended that there is value in Kenyatta’s rule, characterizing the former president as a leader who maintained national cohesion and oversaw a peaceful transfer of power.
“We, the Azimio parties, therefore, demand the immediate retirement of Junet Mohamed from all positions within the Azimio leadership,” they said.
Amid this, there is an underlying controversy surrounding Junet’s proximity to the Kenya Kwanza government that has been perceived to reduce the voice of the opposition in Parliament by diluted standards, while some oppotition affilite parties claim that he has not been vociferous enough in opposition during debates at that level.
This newest demand is yet another series of internal conflicts that have dogged the opposition ranks ever since Junet was involved. This is not the first_time he faced allegations of not taking key advisors into confidence during the 2022 General Elections.
Junet has also found himself entangled in public disputes with top officials in the Orange party, including the Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna, on matters relating to discipline and external interference in party activities.
Even with his unswerving loyalty to the ODM party leader, Raila Odinga, political life appears to be punctuated by rivalry, verbal clashes, and party internal conflicts for Junet. The Azimio affiliate parties have now issued an ultimatum, requiring Junet Mohamed’s immediate resignation from all leadership positions within the coalition.