ODM leader Raila Odinga has once again reiterated his long-standing claim that he has won multiple presidential elections in Kenya but was never officially declared the winner. Speaking during the burial of retired Colonel James Gitahi on Saturday, March 15, Raila asserted that only the 2002 elections were truly free and fair.
“The election that was free and fair was in 2002; all these others… you know the truth,” Raila stated, emphasizing his belief that past presidential polls have been manipulated.
The former Prime Minister also dismissed recent political assertions that aligning with specific leaders, such as former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua or Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, is a guaranteed path to the presidency.
“These days, I hear a young man from Murang’a saying, ‘If you want to be president, be with Gachagua or Kalonzo.’ They don’t know where I have come from,” Raila remarked, recalling his long history in the struggle for democracy in Kenya.
Reflecting on past political challenges, he referred to the struggles against an oppressive regime, symbolically describing it as a “lion” whose “teeth and claws” had to be removed through political reforms. He also revisited his push for transparency in the 2022 elections, maintaining that the truth about the poll results is within the election servers that he has long demanded be opened.
“The other day we said ‘open the server’ because we knew the truth was there. Did they open it? No,” he stated, implying electoral malpractice.
Despite his grievances, Raila emphasized the importance of national unity over personal ambition. “What matters is that Kenya remains together. Democracy is a project, not instant coffee. Kenyans need to live between now and 2027,” he concluded.
The burial of Colonel (Rtd) James Gitahi, where Raila made these remarks, was a solemn occasion. Gitahi tragically lost his life in a grisly road accident on March 7 at Kyumvi Junction on Mombasa Highway when his vehicle collided with an oncoming lorry and burst into flames. He was the husband of ODM-nominated Senator Betty Batuli Montet.
Raila’s remarks continue to fuel political debate as the country looks ahead to the 2027 elections.
