Jubilee Hits Back at Ruto After Uhuru’s 2022 Election Claim

The Jubilee Party has responded to remarks by President William Ruto concerning retired President Uhuru Kenyatta, after Uhuru renewed his claim that the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga won the 2022 presidential election.

The exchange has reopened political debate around the 2022 election, with both Ruto and Kenyatta offering sharply different views on the contest more than four years after the vote.

Ruto Responds to Uhuru's Remarks

Speaking during a church service at the Pentecostal Church in Mwatate, Taita Taveta County, on Sunday, September 27, President Ruto urged political leaders to exercise restraint and responsibility when making public statements.

Although he did not name Uhuru directly, his remarks came days after the former president said he remained convinced that Odinga had won the 2022 presidential contest.

Ruto said leaders should act as role models and avoid making statements that could create political tension over an election that took place four years ago.

The President also referred to leaders appearing at public gatherings while under the influence of alcohol and criticised what he described as confused or incoherent statements.

Jubilee Responds

Jubilee Party subsequently criticised Ruto's remarks, arguing that the President should maintain presidential conduct when addressing political disagreements.

In its statement, the party questioned the appropriateness of using a church setting to comment on political opponents and accused the administration of failing to address issues it says are affecting Kenyans.

Jubilee also called on Ruto to concentrate on governance and his responsibilities as President rather than engaging in what it described as political score-settling.

The party's response included criticism of the government's economic record and allegations concerning public funds, taxation and institutional governance. These are political claims made by Jubilee and are not independently established findings in the statement.

Uhuru Renews 2022 Election Claim

The dispute follows comments made by Uhuru during a Jubilee Party National Executive Committee meeting in Nairobi on September 22.

The retired president said he remained convinced that Raila Odinga won the 2022 presidential election, despite William Ruto being declared the winner.

Uhuru also argued that the political strength of Odinga's coalition in parliamentary and county elections raised questions about the presidential result.

His remarks represented a renewed public challenge to the official outcome of the 2022 presidential election.

Official Results and Supreme Court Decision

According to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, Ruto received 7,176,141 votes, representing 50.49 per cent, while Odinga received 6,942,930 votes, or 48.85 per cent.

Odinga challenged the presidential election results in court. The Supreme Court subsequently upheld Ruto's victory.

Uhuru's current comments therefore represent his personal political assessment of the election rather than a change to the officially declared result or the court's decision.

Political Debate Moves Toward 2027

The renewed exchange comes as Kenyan political parties and leaders increasingly position themselves ahead of the 2027 General Election.

Ruto has continued to accuse his predecessor of involvement in opposition political activities, while Uhuru has remained active in Jubilee affairs and has continued commenting on national politics.

The latest disagreement has consequently brought the 2022 election back into political discussions, alongside broader debates about governance, opposition alliances and the direction of Kenya's politics ahead of the next general election.

For now, the official 2022 presidential result remains unchanged, while the political dispute over how the election unfolded continues between rival camps.