Sh500m row: Junet, Sifuna clash over 2022 ODM campaign money

The late ODM leader Raila Odinga (centre), Secretary General Edwin Sifuna (left), Minority Leader Junet Mohamed (right) after ODM Central Committee meeting in Nairobi, on April 2, 2025. [Boniface Okendo, Standard]

The debate over the payment of ODM agents during the 2022 General Election has resurfaced, with top officials trading barbs over the funds.

The controversy has escalated as questions arise over the handling of campaign money during the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s 2022 presidential bid.

At the centre of the storm are National Assembly Minority Leader Junet Mohamed and ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna, who have sensationally accused each other of mishandling the funds, dragging former President Uhuru Kenyatta into the controversy.

The row erupted on Saturday when Sifuna launched a scathing attack on Junet, claiming that he was among those who misused Uhuru’s money meant to fund campaign activities.

He revealed that, as ODM Secretary-General, he was aware that most of the campaign money came from Uhuru, whom he acknowledged for supporting Raila’s campaign both in cash and in kind, “and that is the truth.”

“But now someone has suddenly discovered that Uhuru’s money is not good. I want to ask Junet, pesa ya Uhuru ilianza kuwa mbaya siku gani (When did Uhuru’s money suddenly become bad?). There were days you were taking that money, and you did not even bring all of it to the party, you ate some of it alone. One day, we will begin an audit of the 2022 elections and it is good you have started this debate so that everyone can account for the role they played in 2022,” Sifuna said.

“You were ‘eating’ Uhuru’s money instead of paying agents… were it not for you, Junet, we would be in government now. You cannot scare me. They say that once you get a new sponsor, do not insult the initial one,” he added.

In a swift rebuttal, Junet accused Sifuna, who he said moonlights for the former President within the party, of challenging him to explain why agents in the 2022 General Election were neither paid nor present at their designated polling stations.

Shifting the blame, Junet said the funds were released to Uhuru’s brother, Muhoho Kenyatta.

“The answer is simple, clear and verifiable: Former President Uhuru Kenyatta released the funds meant for election agents to his brother, Muhoho Kenyatta. Muhoho then appointed one Patrick Mburu to oversee the recruitment and payment of agents,” he claimed.

Junet added that Mburu presented himself as an IT expert, claiming he had the capacity to detect and prevent any manipulation of results by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).

According to the Minority Leader, Mburu remains an aide to Uhuru and, just this past weekend, traveled to Nigeria in the company of Uhuru and Kalonzo Musyoka, clear evidence, he said, that Mburu is not a peripheral figure in these matters.

Junet said that around that time, Muhoho operated from a Westlands office so restricted that even Raila, the party’s presidential candidate, could not access it freely.

“It is from this office, out of bounds for nearly all of us, that they claimed to handle agent payments and other logistics. These are facts, not conjecture. I challenge Uhuru and Muhoho to publicly deny these facts,” Junet asserted.

He added: “The truth is, once they took charge, they never procured any agents for Raila—not in Mt Kenya, nor in Luo Nyanza. It was a long con game. Let the record also be set straight: Raila would have had no reason whatsoever to appoint me, Junet Mohamed, as Minority Leader in the National Assembly if I had truly betrayed him.”

Junet maintained that he has handled delicate party assignments for years with fidelity and diligence. He called on Uhuru, Muhoho, Mburu, and Sifuna to come clean, saying Kenyans deserve the truth about the handling of agents’ money, who controlled it, who mismanaged it and who ultimately cost the party the election.

However, former Raila campaign chief agent Saitabao ole Kanchory fired back: “Have some shame, Junet. How dare you open a can of worms you know very well will eat you up alive?”

As the debate intensified, former MP Kabando wa Kabando weighed in on Junet’s statement, saying the politics of chicanery and greed have cost Kenyans dearly.

“Junet, I spoke exactly about this issue, and later you called me to ask, ‘Who ate agents’ money?’ I replied, ‘You tell me.’ Politics of chicanery and greed have deprived Kenyans of the just, honest and true leadership they deserve. You all—boisterous, untouchable guys—were transacting NOT Baba’s victory. Chickens are now coming home to roost. ‘Open servers’ was deception!” Kabando said.

Narok Senator Ledama Ole Kina also joined the debate, asserting that Uhuru did not give Junet funds for agents.

“Uhuru did not give Junet Mohamed money for agents; he kept the Sh500 million meant for the agents. Sifuna is not speaking the truth,” he posted on X.

Kabando, however, challenged Ole Kina’s claim, demanding a detailed explanation.

Olekina also responded to Kabando in a “tree” format, outlining the sequence of events: