National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang'ula confers with Senate Majority Leader Aaron Cheruiyot during a women empowerment meeting in Kakamega on September 25, 2026 /HANDOUT Top luminaries of the broad-based government on Friday took a swipe at retired President Uhuru Kenyatta over assertions that the former Prime Minister Raila Odinga won the 2022 election.
The leaders questioned why Uhuru peacefully handed over power to President William Ruto if he believed Raila had won the election.
Led by National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula, the leaders accused the former president of seeking to undermine Ruto’s administration.
They questioned the timing of his remarks, coming at time when the country is preparing for the next general election.
“You peacefully handed over the instruments of power to the President. Why did you hand over power to him if you believe he did not win the election? What kind of person are you?” Wetang’ula said.
The speaker was accompanied by a number of leader for a women empowerment programme at Mirere Comprehensive School in Matungu constituency, Kakamega county.
“Uhuru must respect President Ruto and allow him to discharge the mandate given to him by Kenyans. Why does he want President Ruto to serve only one term when the Head of State propelled him to two terms during his tenure?” he said.
Wetang’ula also criticised the former president for remaining politically active after leaving office.
“You should not be the first retired president to mess up his retirement by engaging in politics that backstabs his successor. Respect the high office that you occupied for 10 years courtesy of the votes of Kenyans,” he said.
The Speaker challenged Uhuru to explain why he did not do more to secure votes for Raila in his Mt Kenya political backyard during the 2022 campaign.
“You are not telling ODM supporters why you did not walk with their candidate in your Mt Kenya backyard in search of votes if you genuinely supported him.
“Address your shortcomings that denied Raila the presidency and keep off President Ruto,” Wetang’ula said.
Senate Majority Leader Aaron Cheruiyot accused Uhuru of undermining Ruto during their time in government and urged him to respect the outcome of the 2022 election.
“Uhuru undermined President Ruto when he was his deputy. But his silence paid off as Kenyans elected him as their President,” Cheruiyot said.
“Uhuru must respect the verdict Kenyans gave and move on respectfully. If he dares us, we will hit back strongly.”
The remarks were supported by Senator Vincent Kiprono (Baringo), Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa and MPs Emmanuel Wangwe (Navakholo), Innocent Mugabe (Likuyani), Florence Jematiah (Baringo woman representative), David Ndakwa (Malava) and Oscar Nabulindo (Matungu).
President Ruto’s aide Farouk Kibet also attended the event and joined the leaders in rallying support for the administration.
Barasa said efforts to undermine the Kenya Kwanza administration would not succeed, insisting that the government remained focused on its development agenda.
The governor also declared his support for Ruto’s reelection bid and called on the President to back Wetang’ula’s presidential ambitions in 2032.
“You have our total support for your second term. In 2032, it will be your turn to rally your community behind Wetang’ula, who is our choice to succeed you,” Barasa said.
Ndakwa and Nabulindo echoed the sentiments, saying the Luhya community would be ready to pursue the presidency in 2032 with Wetang’ula as its preferred candidate.
The leaders also cited various government projects in Western as evidence of the administration’s development record and a basis for their support of Ruto.
They highlighted the construction of level 6 hospitals in Kakamega and Bungoma, expansion of the Standard Gauge Railway, Rironi-Mau Summit-Malaba dual carriageway, revival of the Mumias and Nzoia sugar factories.
The Ruto allies also named payment of outstanding dues to sugarcane farmers and former Pan Paper Mills workers, and construction of modern markets and stadiums as among the gains.
Barasa said the national government had allocated Sh12 billion for tarmacking 200km of roads in Kakamega county and established 25 modern markets, among other projects.
The leaders said the projects demonstrated the government’s commitment to Western region and would form part of their campaign to mobilise support for Ruto.
Wetang’ula said Uhuru’s remarks also risked undermining confidence in the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, which declared Ruto the winner of the 2022 presidential election.
The leaders welcomed a recent High Court decision upholding the electoral commission’s mandate to tally and verify presidential election results at the national level.
They said the ruling should help settle questions surrounding the commission’s role in the management of presidential election results.
