ODM's Director of Elections Junet Mohammed now says that the party has identified one of the major reasons behind its twin defeats on April 5.
The party lost in both the Ugenya and Embakasi South by-elections, which came as a blow and a shock especially in Ugenya which is in Raila's home ground.
Junet who doubles up as the Suna East MP now says that it had been proven that party leader Raila Odinga's absence in the campaigns caused the losses.
"The elections in Embakasi South and Ugenya have proved that indeed the Honourable Raila’s word is the most serious one within ODM and among our supporters,” he told the Nation on Sunday.
Raila gave the Ugenya's by-election a complete wide berth and instead deployed his allies from the area under the leadership of Siaya Senator James Orengo to handle the campaigns.
Consequently, the seat was won by Movement for Democracy and Growth (MDG) candidate David Ochieng after beating ODM's Christopher Karan.
In Embakasi, Wiper's Julius Mawathe floored ODM's Irshad Sumra to recapture the seat.
In a statement before the party conceded the defeats on Saturday, party Director of Political Affairs and Ugunja MP Opiyo Wandayi said that the party will conduct an audit into the issue.