Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale has fired back at former Kakamega Senator Cleophas Malala following explosive claims by Malala that Minority Leader Junet Mohamed betrayed the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) during the last general election.
Speaking recently, Malala alleged that Junet Mohamed, a close ally of ODM leader Raila Odinga, routinely leaked the coalition’s campaign strategies to President William Ruto and his allies ahead of the 2022 polls. According to Malala, this alleged betrayal gave Ruto’s camp advance knowledge of Raila’s plans, including campaign tactics and deployment of party agents, ultimately weakening ODM’s election machinery.
Malala further claimed that the supposed leaks were systematic and contributed significantly to Raila Odinga’s defeat in the presidential race, arguing that internal sabotage – rather than external factors alone – undermined the Azimio la Umoja campaign.
However, Senator Khalwale has publicly questioned the credibility and logic of Malala’s assertions. In a sharp response, Khalwale challenged Malala to explain why, if such a significant advantage truly existed, it failed to benefit Malala personally in his own political contest.
“Sir, so if you bought all the ODM party agents from Junet, how come you didn’t use that massive advantage to win your own gubernatorial race against Fernandes Barasa in Kakamega?” Khalwale posed.
Khalwale’s remarks have reignited debate within Western Kenya’s political circles, with observers noting the growing public fallout among leaders who were previously aligned under the broader opposition umbrella. His response suggests skepticism about Malala’s narrative and implies that the former senator may be shifting blame for electoral losses rather than taking responsibility for his defeat.
The exchange adds to ongoing tensions within ODM and the wider opposition, as leaders continue to trade accusations over what went wrong in the 2022 elections, even as the country moves deeper into the current political cycle.