'No beef': Junet dismisses rift with Sifuna as ‘nothing personal’

Suna East MP Junet Mohamed/HANDOUT

Suna East MP Junet Mohammed has downplayed claims of a fallout with Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, describing their disagreements as differences of opinion rather than personal animosity.

Speaking in an interview on Citizen TV’s JK Live on Wednesday night, Junet was asked about the so-called “beef” with Sifuna. He responded: “No, nothing serious. It's a divergence of opinion, you know. He believes that way, I believe in this way. Nothing personal.”

Junet said that while he and Sifuna may hold differing views, the ultimate decisions of their party, ODM, remain binding.

"...the decision of the party will prevail in the end. So, we can have our own different opinions. You can say this way, I say that way. But when the party makes a decision, that's what Baba taught us. We will all abide by it,” he explained.

The interview also touched on comparisons to historical political splits, notably the 1990s division of Ford Kenya and Ford Asili. The interviewer asked if the current disagreements resembled that split.

Junet insisted the situations were different, emphasising constitutional guidance on party decisions.

“You know, that time, they separated because Matiba wanted to run for president and Jaramogi was running for president. Now, who's running for president? And you know, our constitution is very clear. If we were to run someone, we could only run OburuOdinga. He's the presidential candidate because that's what the Constitution says. So, the rest are just giving opinions,” he said.

Junet also addressed circulating claims that he had misappropriated election funds, firmly rejecting them. “I didn’t take agents’ money. If Baba won the election, I would be a big man in this country. Baba lost the elections because people with surnames like yours didn’t vote for him,” he stated.

Throughout the interview, Junet emphasised loyalty to the party and adherence to its processes, framing differences with colleagues as a natural part of political life.

He urged that personal disputes should not overshadow collective decision-making.

Junet also has addressed public questions about his absence from the delegation that travelled to India to accompany the body of the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga back to Kenya.

Junet said he was undergoing treatment and was medically unfit to travel. He added that Raila’s death occurred while he was still recovering.

The legislator reflected on his long political association with the ODM leader, describing him as a mentor and a key figure in his political career.

“My records are there. I was unwell. The day I was discharged from the hospital on Thursday is the day we met Raila at Serena Hotel,” he said, adding that although he was scheduled to join the delegation, a medical procedure prevented him from travelling.