Former Sports Cabinet Secretary Rashid Echesa has cleared Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader Raila Odinga of blame regarding his sacking earlier in the year.
Echesa was sacked days after daring Raila to 'sack him', claiming that the former Prime Minister was using his closeness with President Uhuru Kenyatta to frustrate him.
This made Raila appear as the villain behind his one year tenure, considering that the sacking also came at a time when he was firing unending salvos at Raila who is his former boss.
However, speaking on Thursday, he said Raila had nothing to do with his dismissal as the powers to do so are a reserve of President Uhuru Kenyatta.
"The appointing authority is Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta. He is the only one who can fire anyone. If Raila was the appointing authority then ningesema ni yeye (I would have said it was him)," said Echesa, on Milele FM, Thursday morning.
He further said that he has not taken the issue personally and remains close friends with Deputy President William Ruto, even after the DP apparently failed to prevent his firing.
He added that his recent declaration to support Amani National Congress (ANC) leader Musalia Mudavadi's 2022 presidential bid should not be taken as retaliation against the DP.
"Ruto remains a close friend. He is more than a brother. Saying that we need to advance Western Kenya politics doesn't mean we have parted ways," he added.
Before joining Jubilee, Echesa was the National Youth Leader in ODM for five years.