Former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s claim last week that Raila Odinga won the 2022 presidential election has reopened an old and deeply contested political wound.
He was joined by Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, who went further by claiming that the Raila-Kalonzo ticket also won the 2013 and 2017 elections.
These claims demand scrutiny, not sympathy.
On September 22, 2026, at Jubilee Party headquarters, Uhuru said he knew that Raila won the 2022 election and that “we know what happened.” Speaking in Kitui a day later, Kalonzo revisited the 2013 and 2017 contests, maintaining that their ticket won those elections.
But this raises a fundamental question: Why raise this issue now?
If Uhuru genuinely believed that Raila had been denied victory in 2022, why didn’t he question the result when he was still President?
Why didn’t he use the authority and influence of the presidency to demand that any alleged electoral wrongdoing be investigated and that justice be done to Raila at the time?
Why wait until four years later to tell Kenyans that he knew what happened?
These are legitimate questions because Uhuru was not an outsider in 2022. He was the sitting President and therefore one of the most powerful political actors in the country.
If he possessed information indicating that Raila had been wrongfully denied victory, Kenyans are entitled to ask why that information was not acted upon when it could potentially have made a difference.
The same question applies to the claims about 2013 and 2017. It is not enough for politicians to simply say that Raila won every election. They should present the evidence behind those claims and explain what they intend to achieve by revisiting them today.
More importantly, shouldn’t the focus now be on uniting the opposition in honour of Raila Odinga’s political legacy?
Raila spent decades advocating for multiparty democracy, constitutional reform, devolution and a more inclusive political system. Whatever one’s view of his electoral history, his death has created a moment in which opposition leaders can either continue fighting over the past or build a political coalition around the future.
Kalonzo, too, has a political record that deserves scrutiny. In 2022, after Martha Karua was selected as Raila’s running mate, Kalonzo left the Azimio coalition and announced his own presidential bid. He later abandoned that bid and rejoined Azimio, committing to support Raila and Karua.
When it mattered, Kalonzo was never there to provide the foot soldiers that Raila needed in 2022.
This history does not invalidate Kalonzo’s current position, but it reminds Kenyans that today’s political narratives are being advanced by leaders who were themselves central actors in those events.
There are also allegations that Uhuru is backing or sponsoring figures within the emerging opposition space, including Edwin Sifuna and the Linda Mwananchi movement. Those remain allegations, particularly because Sifuna has publicly denied receiving financial support from Uhuru. At the same time, Jubilee has endorsed Fred Matiang’i as its presidential candidate for 2027.
This raises an even more fundamental question: Where exactly does Uhuru stand? Is he with Matiang’i? Is he with Kalonzo? Is he supporting Sifuna and Linda Mwananchi? Or is his approach creating divisions that could ultimately benefit the incumbent?
As 2027 approaches, political parties and movements are positioning themselves for the election. All political parties including the National Liberal Party (NLP) have a responsibility to think beyond individual ambitions and consider what is best for the country.
As NLP, our position has been clear: the opposition needs to unite behind one presidential candidate if it hopes to mount a serious challenge in 2027. As a party we have said the only chance the opposition has is if they unite and front one candidate, even if it’s Kalonzo Musyoka.
The opposition cannot afford to enter the presidential election with several candidates dividing the opposition vote. The candidate should be chosen through genuine negotiations among the opposition parties and movements, unlike the current political shenanigans we are seeing in the Azimio coalition.
In 2002, Raila Odinga made one of the most consequential political decisions in Kenya’s history when he declared “Kibaki Tosha.” That decision helped unite a fragmented opposition and contributed to the end of KANU’s long hold on power.
Today, history presents another test. The opposition is fragmented. Jubilee has its candidate. Wiper has Kalonzo. Linda Mwananchi has its emerging political leadership. Other political parties, including NLP, are also preparing for 2027. Meanwhile, President William Ruto’s political machinery is already preparing for the next election.
If Uhuru genuinely wants to honour Raila’s legacy and unite the opposition, then the path should be clear.
Let Uhuru declare Kalonzo Tosha.
Let Jubilee engage Wiper, NLP, Linda Mwananchi and other opposition parties and movements that are genuinely outside government, with the objective of building one broad political coalition.
Let those parties sit together, negotiate openly and agree on one presidential candidate and one united national programme.
That would be a meaningful way of honouring Raila not simply by telling Kenyans that he should have won the elections of the past, but by building the political unity he repeatedly sought.
If Uhuru does that, Kenyans will see concrete action behind his words. If he does not, then Kenyans are entitled to ask whether reopening the debate about the 2022 election is actually helping the opposition or merely adding another layer to an already fragmented political landscape.
Shouldn’t Uhuru be helping to build the opposition of tomorrow rather than litigating the elections of yesterday?
Kenya does not need another four years of arguments over who should have won yesterday. It needs political leaders willing to make the difficult choices required today.
In 2002, Raila said Kibaki Tosha. In 2027, if Uhuru truly wants to unite the opposition and honour Raila’s legacy, he should say: Kalonzo Tosha.
And if that is the candidate agreed upon by a genuinely united opposition, NLP will support the unity of that coalition.
2027 should not be about crying over spilt milk. It should be about learning from the past, correcting past mistakes, and building a united opposition capable of giving Kenyans a credible alternative.
Article by Augustus Kyalo Muli, Party Leader, National Liberal Party (NLP)
Disclaimer! Views expressed in this article do not represent the position of Kenya Broadcasting Corporation
