In what could be a sign of emerging cracks within ODM party, former Director of Strategy for ODM and a close ally of Raila Odinga, Mr Wafula Buke, has disowned Imran Okoth in Kibra by-election race.
Mr Buke, who was recently sacked by ODM but remained defiant, insisting that he still supports Mr Odinga, poked holes in Imran Okoth's candidature.
In a long post on Tuesday, the leftist politician supported Raila Odinga's former aide Eliud Owalo, who is running for the seat on ANC ticket.
Owalo parted ways with Raila in what he termed as a 'clash of ideologies' despite having served as the party's Secretariat boss in 2013 polls.
According to Buke, Mr Owalo deserves to succeed Ken Okoth, arguing that he's 'more ODM' than Ken Okoth's brother Imran, who was handed ODM ticket.
"In 2012, Owalo founded FORA and made it a national movt, opened a large office in lavington, equipped it and employed staff at his cost. The Ed of the movt is now an ODM MCA in Kisii. Imran was not yet born. The Raila for Presidential campaign entirely relied on FORA on all ground operations. In fact its uniform become the real ODM, coz ODM was too confused to produce its own," said Buke.
According to him, Owalo organised Raila's campaigns in 2013, which were allegedly being mismanaged by his handlers. And as such, he added, Mr Owalo ended up developing enemies from within.
Mr Buke accuses National Elections Board chair Judith Pareno and ODM Executive Director Oduor Ong'wen of sabotaging Owalo from within, leading to his exit from the party.
"Operational realities compelled our leader, Rao to make him National Presidential Campaign Manager instead of the boardroom Muluka, Ongwen, etc. Imran was not yet born. Under him things started moving based on his consultative and inclusive leadership. Imran was not yet born," he added.
Further, he added, despite Imran winning the party ticket, he was not the preferred candidate. He insists that Peter Orero was the genuine winner. Buke dismissed Imran as a beneficiary of nepotism.
"Imran was okoth's trusted brother, a beneficiary of nepotism. Period!" he said in reference to Ken Okoth's decision to pick Imran as constituency manager.