UDA Responds to Uhuru's Claim Raila Odinga Won the 2022 General Election

The United Democratic Alliance (UDA) has responded to former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s claim that former Prime Minister Raila Odinga won the 2022 General Election. 

In a statement on Tuesday, September 22, UDA disputed Uhuru’s position and maintained that President William Ruto won the election, while accusing the retired president of continuing to dwell on the outcome of the contest.

"Retired President Uhuru Kenyatta continues to live and wallow in a fool's paradise. His comments today - that he "still believes" that the late Prime Minister Raila Odinga won the 2022 election and "we all know what happened" - is the perpetual realization that he totally lost power and is going to lose it in 2027," the statement read.

UDA defended Ruto’s victory, claiming that the 2022 election outcome was decisive and accusing Uhuru of failing to come to terms with the result.

"Clearly, Uhuru has never healed from the humiliating defeat that he occasioned Raila in the hands of President William Ruto, even after employing State machinery. President William Ruto won the 2022 election decisively and conclusively. 

"For the past 4 years, Uhuru has constantly drowned in the reality of the loss and more devastatingly, the stamp of defeat that there was nothing he could do about it," the statement added.

UDA also raised allegations concerning events surrounding the 2022 election, including claims involving supporters of the party, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), and events at the Bomas of Kenya on August 15, 2022.

"However, his unconstitutional shenanigans to subvert the will of Kenyans before, during and after that election are known and recorded for posterity - the disappearance of Kenyans who were committed to UDA, the threats to IEBC Chairman Wafula Chebukati and FINAL ACT at Bomas of Kenya on August 15, 2022, which collapsed," the statement further read.

UDA said Ruto had overcome what it described as efforts to undermine his 2022 presidential bid and projected another victory for him in the 2027 election.

"His Excellency William Ruto conclusively won the 2022 election and defeated Uhuru's illegal, devious and evil plans. In 2027, His Excellency William Ruto will win resoundingly and once again put Uhuru in the dustbin of political paralysis," the statement noted.

UDA also credited Ruto with playing a significant role in Uhuru’s victories in the 2013 and 2017 presidential elections, before accusing the former president of turning against his deputy after securing a second term.

"Truth be told, Uhuru would not have even won the 2013 and 2017 election were it not for the vigorous campaign mounted by President Ruto, then as his running mate. He owes his two terms to President William Ruto. Unfortunately, after clinching his second term, he abandoned his Deputy and chose a warpath with him. 

"The pain visibly seen in Uhuru is manifest that he is still yet to come to terms with the devastating loss he suffered with his project in 2022. Let him prepare for more humiliation come 2027," the statement concluded.

Speaking earlier Tuesday, Uhuru, who was serving as President when the election was held, said his administration and allies had done everything possible to support Raila's presidential bid.

He said the votes cast in the election were enough, in his view, to establish Raila as the rightful winner of the presidential contest.

"We did everything we could to help Raila Odinga become President of Kenya, and he was given the votes. Even today, I know that Baba won that election.

"We know how things went down, and we don’t want that to happen again," he said.

Ruto was declared the winner of the August 9, 2022 presidential election after securing 7,176,141 votes against Odinga's 6,942,930.

Raila challenged the result at the Supreme Court, which unanimously upheld Ruto's victory and dismissed the petitions challenging his election.

Uhuru's relationship with Odinga became significantly closer after the two leaders publicly reconciled in the March 2018 'Handshake', following years of political rivalry. 

The two subsequently worked together on the Building Bridges Initiative before Uhuru backed Raila's presidential bid.