'We know what happened': Uhuru claims Raila won 2022 polls

Former President Uhuru Kenyatta. [File, Standard]

Former President Uhuru Kenyatta says he remains convinced that Raila Odinga won the 2022 presidential election.

Speaking during a Jubilee Party meeting in Nairobi on Tuesday, September 22, Uhuru questioned how the Azimio coalition could have lost the presidency despite performing strongly in other elective races.

“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.

The late Odinga contested the August 9, 2022 election under the Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya Coalition Party, with Martha Karua as his running mate. Ruto ran under the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) as the presidential candidate of the Kenya Kwanza Alliance.

Ruto was declared president-elect after garnering 7,176,141 votes, 50.49 per cent, against Odinga's 6,942,930 votes, 48.85 per cent. Ruto's margin was 233,211 votes.

The Supreme Court later unanimously upheld his election after dismissing petitions challenging the results.

But Uhuru pointed to the coalition's performance in the parliamentary and county races to question how Azimio could have lost the presidency.

“How can you say we were defeated when we had most of the MPs, governors and senators? How were we defeated in the presidency?” he asked.

In the National Assembly, figures published after the election initially put Azimio ahead of Kenya Kwanza, with 165 seats against 160, while 12 seats were held by independent MPs.

Azimio also won 23 of the 47 governorships, while Kenya Kwanza secured 22. The remaining two were won by Taita Taveta Governor Andrew Mwadime and former Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza, who ran as independent candidates.

In the Senate, Kenya Kwanza had an advantage, winning 24 of the 47 directly elected seats against Azimio's 23.

The parliamentary balance later shifted in favour of Kenya Kwanza after several MPs changed their political allegiance.

In October 2022, National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang'ula declared Kenya Kwanza the majority coalition with 179 MPs against Azimio's 157, after several MPs from parties including UDM, MDG, Maendeleo Chap Chap and PAA moved towards the Kenya Kwanza side.

Uhuru also rejected claims that he was responsible for Odinga's loss, saying he was not a candidate in the election.

“I am surprised when people say that we did not help Baba and that they defeated me. I was not on the ballot, and they are lying. I was only Raila's handyman,” he said.

He warned against what he described as divisive and dirty politics, saying Kenya should not repeat the events surrounding the 2022 election.

“Dirty politics and politics aimed at dividing Kenyans will take us nowhere. Let us not divide each other. What does it help us? Sell your manifesto,” Uhuru said.

He said he accepted the Supreme Court's decision after the 2022 presidential petitions and handed over power to Ruto without disputing the outcome, accusing Ruto of dragging his name in his failed leadership.

“When we finished and the court ruled, we did not dispute it. We went and handed over the presidency to them. And now, after four years, they are still talking about Uhuru. But when things are not working, people tend to look for excuses,” he said.

This is the clearest public assertion by the former president since the 2022 elections that Odinga won the presidential vote.