Raila: I will accept defeat in August 2022 polls
Raila Odinga says he will accept the results of the August 2022 polls if the exercise is conducted in a free and fair manner.
In a live interview broadcast across most television stations in which Odinga, the Azimio presidential candidate appeared alongside his running mate Martha Karua, Odinga stressed he had no ‘issues’ accepting defeat.
“I would easily accept defeat and congratulate the winner definitely,” he said.
Odinga also clarified that being a sportsman he understands that winning and losing is part of any situation.
“I know whoever doesn’t accept defeat is not a competitor.”
Deputy President William Ruto who is considered Odinga’s stiffest challenger in the polls has also pledged to accept defeat.
Odinga has contested the presidency in the 1997, 2007, 2013 and 2017 presidential elections and disputed the results on all occasions.
Incidentally he was joined by Ruto in disputing the 2007 results. This led to a stand-off with then President the late Mwai Kibaki, leading to violence in which more than 1000 people died and 100,000 people were displaced.
He then lost to President Uhuru Kenyatta in 2013 and 2017 and contested the results at the Supreme Court and though he lost the case in 2013, managed to successfully convince court to nullify the election results in 2017.
The 78-year-old seasoned politician would then swear himself in as people’s president in 2018 after refusing to take part in the elections re-run in October claiming the government planned to rig the vote.
That was before he embraced President Uhuru Kenyatta’s hand as part of a political deal.