Former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s claim that Raila Odinga won the 2022 presidential election has reopened the bitter debate over the poll, with leaders allied to President William Ruto pushing back against the former Head of State.
Uhuru made the claim on Tuesday as he handed over the leadership of the Jubilee Party to former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i.
The former president said he remained convinced that Raila had won the election despite William Ruto being declared the winner.
“We did everything to help Baba become President of the Republic of Kenya. He got the votes, and to this day I know that he is the one who won those votes. We know how things happened, and we do not want it to happen that way again,” Uhuru said.
He also questioned how the Azimio coalition could have performed strongly in the parliamentary and county elections yet fail to win the presidency.
The remarks immediately drew a response from the United Democratic Alliance, with Secretary-General Hassan Omar insisting that Ruto won the election.
Omar accused Uhuru of refusing to accept the outcome more than four years after the vote.
“President William Ruto won the 2022 election decisively and conclusively,” Omar said.
UDA also alleged that the former administration had attempted to influence the electoral process. Omar referred to events at Bomas of Kenya and alleged pressure on former IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati, claims that were reported without new evidence being provided to substantiate them.
Kibwezi West MP Mwengi Mutuse also challenged Uhuru, saying Kenyans had made their decision at the ballot.
“You were the President then. You supported Raila Odinga. You told him many things, but Kenyans made their own decision,” Mutuse said during a rally in Kalii, Makindu.
Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi similarly questioned why Uhuru was returning to the 2022 election several years later.
The exchange has also exposed a different position within Jubilee, with Deputy Party Leader Beatrice Gambo backing Uhuru's account.
Gambo said Uhuru, as president at the time, had access to intelligence that may not have been available to other politicians.
“President Uhuru, in 2022, before he handed over to President Ruto, he was president. So he consumed raw intel. In other words, there's something he knows that probably many other people do not know,” Gambo said.
The 2022 election was officially won by Ruto, who was declared president-elect with 7,176,141 votes against Raila's 6,942,930. The Supreme Court subsequently upheld Ruto's victory after petitions challenging the result.
Uhuru acknowledged that the legal process eventually determined the outcome, saying his administration handed over power after the Supreme Court ruling.
“When court said they won, did you see us fight? We gave them all instruments of power in broad daylight,” he said.
The renewed argument over the 2022 election comes as Jubilee reorganises under Matiang’i and political parties begin positioning themselves ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Uhuru has said he will remain a member of Jubilee and take up a senior advisory role as Matiang’i takes over the party leadership.
