Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Secretary General Edwin Sifuna has laid bare the reasons that led to the exit of Ugenya MP-elect David Ochieng's exit from the party.
Speaking on Monday, Sifuna rubbished claims that the Movement for Democracy and Growth (MDG) party boss was kicked out of the Orange Party, forcing him into the little-known bloc.
He noted that Ochieng' personally opted out in the run-up to the 2017 elections, claiming that there was no mistreatment involved, only personal reasons and ideological differences.
"Ni kweli Ochieng alikuwa mbunge wa ODM hadi 2017 alipoamua kutoka mwenyewe. Hakuna aliyemfukuza ila aliondoka kwa sababu zake mwenyewe.
(Nobody pushed him out of the party. He personally opted out. He had his own reasons and was never mistreated by anyone in ODM)," he said.
Sifuna was speaking on Radio Citizen's Jambo Kenya show on Monday morning.
He recalled trying to convince the MP to stay put in the party but he refused, terming that the time when the party decided to front a candidate against him in the 2017 elections.
"Alikuwa rafiki yangu sana na nikamketisha chini kujaribu kumweleza asiondoke lakini alikuwa ameamua. Lakini ODM ni chama kikubwa na akiondoka mmoja wanaingia wengine wawili.
(I tried to talk him out of the decision as a personal friend but he had made up his mind already. We had to get another candidate from our many other members)," added Sifuna.
Ochieng, riding on his party, managed to recapture the seat from former MP Chris Karan who had defeated him in the 2017 race, after beating him in the Friday by-elections.