Ex-Raila's Chief Agent Goes After Citizen TV's Trevor Ombija

Saitabao Ole Kanchory, the former Chief Agent for the Azimio La Umoja presidential candidate Raila Odinga has demanded an apology from Citizen TV's Trevor Ombija in seven days or he sues him.

Kanchory on Thursday, December 29 threatened to sue the prime-time news anchor for what he alleged were false claims propagated by him during his interview with Raila Odinga aired on the station.

Ombija had sought clarity from the former prime minister regarding the reasons he lost the August 9 elections to President William Ruto after Kanchory revealed that the Azimio presidential campaigns and the command centre were in disarray and its agents were not paid following the election process.

“Your chief agent Saitabao Ole Kanchory said that your campaign was disorganised, your command centre didn't work and the agents were not paid, is this true?” Trevor posed, to which Raila denied by saying "absolute rubbish".

“His duty was at the Bomas of Kenya, not the campaigns or the agents. Our votes were stolen at the tallying centre, not at the polling station,” he said.

He argued that the campaign team was greatly organized and that the problem was with the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).

Kanchory faulted the manner in which Ombija phrased his question and threatened to take legal action against him.

“My Christmas Holiday has been rudely interrupted by false and malicious claims by Trevor Ombija on Citizen TV that I said that Raila Odinga campaigns ‘were disorganised & agents were not paid’.Unless I receive a proportionate apology in seven days, I am suing,” Kanchory wrote on his Twitter page.

Kanchory, during an NTV interview, revealed the roles of three individuals; Suna East Member of Parliament Junet Mohammed, Azimio Secretariat Spokesperson Makau Mutua and former Information, Communication and Technology Cabinet Secretary Joe Mucheru in Raila's fifth consecutive election loss.

In some areas that were deemed to be President Ruto’s strongholds, Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya did not have agents.

“We went wrong the minute we dismantled the structures we had, the campaign board was supposed to run everything but some individuals who wanted to have their agenda individualised it," Kanchory said.

Embakasi East MP Babu Owino however defended Junet over claims he was among those who mismanaged Azimio agents' funds. 

"People are fighting Junet for no reason. Do you think the money meant for agents was commensurate to what Junet would have been in Baba's government? Do you think Junet could have forgone his dream in Baba's government? He could have probably made more money than that meant for agents.

"But somebody must always carry the cross and that is why it was put on Junet's back," he said.

To date, Junet is yet to publicly comment on Azimio's election loss.

Collage of Junet Mohamed, Makau Mutua and Joe Mucheru. /FILE