Former President Uhuru Kenyatta has renewed his claim that Raila Odinga won the 2022 presidential election, reopening debate over the disputed poll.
Mr Kenyatta said he remained convinced that Mr Odinga received enough votes to win the election but did not become president.
“We did everything to help Baba become the 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,” Mr Kenyatta said.
The former president was a key figure in the Azimio la Umoja coalition that supported Mr Odinga in the 2022 election.
Mr Odinga lost the presidential election to William Ruto, who was declared the winner by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission.
The Supreme Court subsequently dismissed petitions challenging the presidential election result and upheld Mr Ruto’s victory.
Mr Kenyatta’s latest remarks have drawn a response from ODM leaders.
Acting ODM leader Oburu Oginga questioned the decision to revisit the 2022 election nearly four years after the poll.
Mr Oginga said ODM had used the available constitutional and legal avenues to challenge the election result and had subsequently moved on.
He also cautioned against using Mr Odinga’s death and the 2022 election for political purposes.
The comments come as political parties and leaders prepare for the 2027 General Election, with the 2022 contest continuing to feature in political debates.
Mr Ruto has repeatedly defended his election victory and criticised those who continue to question the outcome.
The 2022 presidential election remains one of the most contested elections in Kenya’s recent political history, with Mr Odinga’s campaign disputing the final result before the matter was determined by the Supreme Court.
Mr Kenyatta’s latest comments have therefore brought the issue back into the political debate, with ODM leaders taking different positions on the significance of the former president’s remarks.
