Nairobi News

Several political leaders who supported opposition leader Raila Odinga for the presidency in the 2022 general elections but went under after President William Ruto was declared winner can now be revealed.

In the presidential results, announced on August 15, 2022, by IEBC whose chairman is Mr Wafula Chebukati, President Ruto garnered 7,176,141 votes against Mr Odinga, who garnered 6,942,930 votes.

Mr Odinga moved to the Supreme Court intending to have the election of President Ruto nullified, but this never happened.

After the swearing-in of President Ruto as the Head of State, several leaders who crisscrossed the country in support of Mr Odinga have gone under.

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Peter Kenneth

Mr Kenneth was a key player in Mr Odinga’s campaigns as he rallied behind him. However, for two months now, Mr Kenneth has maintained a low profile.

He was one of the leaders who was proposed to deputise Mr Odinga in the last elections alongside Ms Martha Karua, Ms Sabina Chege (nominated MP) and former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka.

Mr Kenneth, in the 2007 general elections, contested for the country’s top seat but lost to former President Mwai Kibaki.

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Charity Ngilu

She is the immediate former Governor of Kitui County. Ms Ngilu, during the last elections, was asked to step aside for Mr Julius Malombe by Mr Odinga, who promised to give her a state appointment once he wins the elections.

Ms Ngilu was amongst political leaders who played a key role in the campaigns as they rallied their supporters to vote for Mr Odinga.

In the recent past, she has maintained a low profile, with President William Ruto reaching out to her asking that they work together.

Ms Ngilu is the Narc party leader which boasts significant exposure in the Kenyan political terrain, having worked closely with Presidents Mwai Kibaki and Uhuru Kenyatta.

Her political career commenced in earnest when she unsuccessfully vied for the presidency in 1997 and lost to then-President Daniel Arap Moi.

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Hassan Ali Joho

The former Mombasa Governor has equally maintained a low profile, and he even recently took photos clad in expensive shoes and clothes.

Mr Joho, who served as the Mombasa County boss for two terms, has maintained a low profile despite campaigning for Mr Odinga in the 2022 general elections.

He is the current Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader, and his silence has raised concerns in the recent past.

The last time he was seen alongside Mr Odinga was on February 7, 2023, when he held a meeting alongside Suna East MP Junet Mohamed.

Both Junet and Joho had stayed off the political limelight since Mr Odinga lost the August 2022 presidential elections.

The opposition leader had at that time held three rallies in protest of President William Ruto’s leadership, all of which were conspicuously missing.

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Rachael Shebesh

Ms Rachael Shebesh has also maintained a low profile after Mr Odinga lost the August 2022 general elections.

She played a pivotal role in the campaigns, asking her supporters to vote for Mr Odinga for the country’s top seat.

Ms Shebesh did not vie for any political seat in the last elections. She hoped she would get a state appointment after Mr Odinga is declared winner of the August 8, 2022, presidential elections.

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