Kitutu Chache South MP Anthony Kibagendi has faulted low voter turnout in Luo Nyanza and failures by key insiders in Raila Odinga’s camp for the loss of the 2022 presidential election, dismissing claims that external factors were to blame.
In a strongly worded statement, Kibagendi also defended the role of former President Uhuru Kenyatta, accusing Gladys Wanga of attempting to downplay his contribution.
“Recent remarks by Gladys Wanga attempting to downplay the role of Uhuru Kenyatta in the 2022 presidential election are not only misleading but a deliberate distortion of facts,” Kibagendi said.
“The truth is that President Kenyatta committed substantial political capital and state machinery in support of Raila Odinga, even in the face of significant resistance within the Mt. Kenya region,” he added, noting that Odinga still secured about 1.3 million votes from the region as evidence of that backing.
The greatest failure
Kibagendi argued that the decisive factor in the election outcome lay within Odinga’s strongholds, particularly Luo Nyanza.
“What must now be said, without fear or favour, is that the greatest failure was not external, it was internal,” he said.
“In Luo Nyanza, over 700,000 registered voters did not turn out to vote. A modest improvement in turnout, just 300,000 additional voters, would likely have decisively changed the outcome of that election.”
He added that even a much smaller increase could have significantly altered the race.
“Even more striking, a turnout increase of just 25,000 votes could have forced a runoff by denying any candidate the constitutional threshold of 50 per cent plus one, fundamentally altering the trajectory of the race,” Kibagendi said.
Criticism of Raila’s insiders
The MP also took aim at a section of Odinga’s political operatives, accusing them of failing in their responsibilities despite being handed direct party nominations.
“Equally concerning is the role played by some of Raila Odinga’s key political operatives and beneficiaries, many of whom were handed direct party nominations on the understanding that they would deliver national coordination, protect the vote, and mobilize supporters,” he said.
“Instead, they failed in critical areas such as agent deployment, parallel tallying, and voter mobilization. Today, rather than taking responsibility, they continue to deflect blame and mislead the public.”
Call for accountability and renewal
Kibagendi said it was “disingenuous for leaders to rewrite history while avoiding accountability,” urging Luo Nyanza leaders to engage in honest reflection.
“The conversation Luo Nyanza must have as a region is honest and forward-looking. Luo Nyanza cannot afford complacency, entitlement, or leadership that prioritizes individual political survival over collective success,” he said.
While clarifying that his remarks were not a blanket condemnation, the MP insisted that a section of leaders had failed at a critical moment.
“This is not a blanket condemnation of all leaders from the region, far from it. However, it is undeniable that a section of the leadership failed to rise to the occasion when it mattered most,” he said.
“The time has come to confront that reality candidly, to reject mediocrity, and to embrace a new political culture grounded in responsibility, performance, and genuine service to the people.”
The remarks add to growing debate within opposition ranks over the factors that led to Odinga’s defeat in the closely contested 2022 presidential race.
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