Suna East Member of Parliament Junet Mohamed has revealed why he did not attend the first anniversary celebrations of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga. Mohamed said he pulled out of the event after learning that former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua was among the invitees. The ODM official said he was not ready to share the same platform with Gachagua, leader of the Democracy for the Citizens Party.

“Yesterday, we as ODM members mourned Baba on the first anniversary of his death. I did not attend because when I looked at the list of those invited, I saw the name of Rigathi Gachagua. I said to myself I cannot sit in the same place with someone like him, and Baba’s spirit could not be in such a place,” Junet said.

Mohamed’s comments explain his absence at Thursday’s commemorations in Migwena Grounds, Bondo in Siaya County where Odinga’s family, political leaders, and ordinary citizens gathered to mark the anniversary of the death of the independence hero.

Gachagua said he received an invite from Raila’s widow, Ida Odinga, but he had to decline because he was in the United States attending a programme. The DCP leader shares his tribute to the family and the nation on social media, saying Raila was “the father of our democracy and defender of the rights of Kenyans.”

“Thank you Mama Ida Odinga for your invitation to me to attend the first anniversary of the Late Rt. Hon. Raila Odinga, the father of our democracy and defender of the rights of Kenyans. I was not able to attend since I am away in the United States of America on a programme that was pre-planned,” said Gachagua.

The two politicians have given different accounts regarding their stand on the event, and neither takes a position on whether the organisers meant to accommodate divergent views by including various dignitaries.

The anniversary event commenced on October 15, 2026, a year after the former Prime Minister and political activist died in India at the age of 80.

Raila Odinga was Prime Minister of Kenya from 2008 to 2013 and later emerged as one of the country’s leading opposition figures. He is remembered for his roles in the transition to multiparty democracy, the promulgation of the 2010 constitution, and the re-engineering of Kenya’s electoral system.

The anniversary brought together politicians from rival parties to remember and celebrate the life and virtues of Odinga. Reports suggest that Junet’s comments have sparked off discussions regarding controversies surrounding the event, notably the presence of multiple leaders whose political ideologies were at odds with Odinga’s legacy.

Junet’s interview has raised questions about the ODM leader’s intentions in inviting personalities who have been vocal in their opposition to the party’s agenda. It comes as the ODM mourns the loss of one of its key figures whose impact on the political landscape of Kenya will be long-lived.