NAIROBI, 22 Sept 2026 – Former President Uhuru Kenyatta has reignited debate over the 2022 presidential election, alleging that his preferred candidate, the late Raila Odinga, won the contest against President William Ruto, but the results were rigged.
Kenyatta said he and Odinga never lost what he described as a tightly contested race for State House, claiming they were privy to electoral irregularities by those entrusted to safeguard the vote.
“Mimi najua nani alishinda uchaguzi wa 2022. Tunajua vile mambo yalienda. Mimi sikuwa kwa ballot, ni Raila Odinga. Sikushindwa,” Kenyatta said during the handing over of Jubilee Party leadership to former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i.
He added: “Tulifanya kila kitu kumsaidia Baba awe Rais wa Jamhuri yetu ya Kenya. Na kura akapata, na mimi mpaka wa leo najua ya kwamba yeye ndiye alishinda hiyo kura. Tunajua vile mambo ilienda, na hatutaki iende hivyo tena.”
The handover followed the party’s National Executive Committee meeting held in Nairobi on 22nd September, 2026. A National Delegates Convention is expected soon.
Kenyatta officially endorsed Matiang’i as the party’s presidential candidate for the 2027 General Election. In his acceptance speech, Matiang’i termed the endorsement an emotional milestone and promised to steer the party to greater heights and unite Kenyans.
“I will remain a member of the party as a senior advisor in Jubilee; then my younger brother climbs up, takes the leadership, so we can organise the work for 2027 and to our party supporters accord the new party leader your unwavering support,” Kenyatta said.
He castigated the Ruto administration for failing to fulfil its electoral pledges.
“Walizunguka na uongo wakituita ‘dynasties.’ Siku ya leo najiuliza, hustler wa ukweli ni nani?” he posed.
However, ODM’s Narok Senator Ledama Ole Kina dismissed the remarks as untimely.
“Uhuru, you were the President, Commander-in-Chief, controlled the state and handed over power. The IEBC declared it, and the Supreme Court upheld it. So why the hell are you telling us now that Raila won?” Ole Kina wrote on X.
Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi also questioned the timing of the remarks, saying Kenyatta had “woken from a deep slumber.”
The official IEBC results declared President Ruto the winner with 7,176,141 votes against Odinga’s 6,942,930 votes. Odinga’s petition challenging the results was dismissed by the Supreme Court.
Three days ago, Kenyatta had also responded to claims that he was funding the opposition to dislodge Ruto from power.
“Mimi kama sponyo, sina mambo mengi ya kuongea; tutaonana wakati mwingine,” he said.
