Homa Bay Senator Moses Kajwang’ has criticised a section of ODM members who continue to blame former President Uhuru Kenyatta for the party’s loss in the 2022 General Election.
In a statement on Monday, January 5, he warned that such narratives risk deepening internal divisions with the party.
Kajwang’ urged party members to move on from the 2022 contest, arguing that revisiting the loss only distracts ODM from its mission to its supporters.
“In his lifetime, Raila Odinga held Uhuru Kenyatta in high regard. This respect did not change even after our 2022 electoral ‘defeat’. We cannot rewrite the narrative just because Baba is no longer with us.
“The 2022 election is water under the bridge and should not be used to cause confusion within ODM. We must deliver our people to the proverbial Canaan. ODM must embrace all progressive parties committed to this goal,” he said.
This comes a week after Pauline Njoroge dismissed claims that Uhuru is behind the growing internal tensions within the ODM Party.
In a statement on Monday, December 29, Njoroge stated that the criticism directed at Uhuru is driven by discomfort over his continued popularity, including the warm reception he received during Raila Odinga’s funeral.
“It’s obvious that Uhuru Kenyatta’s popularity, even in ODM zones and the reception he got during Baba’s funeral, is really bothering some people. Instead of dealing with their own internal disagreements, they have decided to make him the scapegoat,” she said.
Njoroge explained that ODM’s divisions are internal and revolve around differing views on cooperation with the current government.
“The truth is, ODM is divided from within. Some leaders are comfortable enjoying the benefits of the broad-based government and selling the party to that front, while others, especially the younger generation, are clearly not pro-government and want to take a different path. That disconnect is the real problem, not outsiders,” she added.
Njoroge argued that Uhuru is not seeking elective office and should not be portrayed as a destabilising force within the party.
“When people refuse to face the hard reality, they look for a bogeyman to blame. Uhuru Kenyatta is not a candidate in 2027 and has nothing to gain from dividing ODM. What he is, is a widely respected and much-loved statesman. Let people stop the propaganda and unbearable intrigue,” she concluded.
Elsewhere, Suna East MP Junet Mohamed accused Uhuru and his brother Muhoho Kenyatta of squandering money meant to pay Azimio la Umona agents in the 2022 polls.
In a statement on Saturday, January 3, Junet stated that the funds meant for election agents were not given to him or the party structures but were instead released by Uhuru to his brother who then appointed another individual to manage recruitment and payments.
“The answer is simple, clear and verifiable: Former President Uhuru Kenyatta released the funds meant for election agents to his blood brother, Muhoho Kenyatta. Muhoho Kenyatta then appointed one Mr. Peter Mburu to take charge of the recruitment and payment of agents,” he claimed.
Junet further questioned Mburu’s credentials of the, saying he claimed to have technological expertise to secure election results.
“Mr. Mburu presented himself as an IT expert, claiming he had the capacity to detect and prevent any manipulation of results by the IEBC,” he added.
To reinforce his claim that Mburu remains closely linked to Uhuru, Junet cited recent travel involving the former president and Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka.
“To date, Mr. Mburu remains an aide of Uhuru Kenyatta. Just this past weekend, Mburu traveled to Nigeria in the company of Uhuru Kenyatta and Kalonzo Musyoka-clear evidence that he is not a peripheral figure in these matters,” he further said.
Junet also described how the handling of agents’ logistics was centralized in a highly restricted office, allegedly beyond the reach of most party leaders, including the late Raila Odinga.
He said the office was where decisions on agents’ payments and logistics were supposedly made.
“Around the time, Muhoho Kenyatta operated from an office in Westlands that was so restricted that even Raila Odinga, the party’s presidential candidate, could not access it freely.
“It is from this office – out of bounds for nearly all of us – that they claimed to handle the agents payments and other logistics. These are facts, not conjecture. I challenge Uhuru Kenyatta and Muhoho Kenyatta to publicly deny these facts,” he explained.
Junet went on to allege that despite taking control of the process, no agents were actually deployed for Raila in key regions.
“The fact is once they took charge, they never procured any agents for Hon. Raila Odinga, not in Mt. Kenya and not in Luo Nyanza. It was a long con game,” he stated.
Junet called on all those named in the controversy, including Sifuna, to publicly account for their roles so Kenyans can judge who is responsible for ODM’s 2022 defeat.
“I now call upon Uhuru Kenyatta, Muhoho Kenyatta, Peter Mburu, and Senator Edwin Sifuna to come clean. Kenyans deserve the truth about the handling of agents’ money; who controlled it, who mishandled it, and then decide who cost us the election,” he concluded.
