Senior MP Claims Hidden Forces Blocked Raila Odinga from Kenya's Presidency
Nairobi, 21 January 2026
Suna East MP Junet Mohamed has made startling allegations that powerful behind-the-scenes actors deliberately prevented ODM leader Raila Odinga from winning Kenya’s presidency across multiple election cycles. Speaking on national television, Mohamed claimed the same influential figures who determined presidential outcomes in 2007, 2013, and 2017 systematically worked against Odinga’s ambitions. Most provocatively, he criticised former President Uhuru Kenyatta for failing to mobilise grassroots support despite public endorsement, arguing that Odinga should have won by a 60-40 margin. Mohamed dismissed claims that Odinga received adequate backing from the crucial Mt Kenya region, stating that just 500,000 additional votes could have changed history. These explosive revelations expose the shadowy world of Kenyan politics and raise fundamental questions about electoral integrity and the role of kingmakers in determining democratic outcomes.
The Kingmakers’ Consistent Pattern
Mohamed’s allegations centre on what he describes as a deliberate pattern of electoral manipulation spanning nearly two decades. Speaking on the JKL television programme on 20 January 2026, the Suna East MP argued that ‘the people who made others president in 2007, 2013, and 2017 did not want to make Raila president’ [1]. This assertion suggests a coordinated effort by influential power brokers to systematically block Odinga’s path to State House across four consecutive election cycles. Mohamed’s claims point to the existence of a political establishment that operates beyond public scrutiny, wielding sufficient influence to determine presidential outcomes regardless of popular sentiment.
The Mt Kenya Factor and Kenyatta’s Role
Central to Mohamed’s critique is the alleged failure of former President Uhuru Kenyatta to deliver adequate support from the politically crucial Mt Kenya region during the 2022 election. Despite Kenyatta’s public endorsement of Odinga, Mohamed argued that this backing did not translate into effective grassroots mobilisation [1]. When television host Jeff Koinange noted that Raila Odinga had received 1.3 million votes from the Mt Kenya region, Mohamed dismissed this figure as insufficient [1]. The MP’s frustration was palpable as he stated: ‘If they had voted even 500,000 more, people with your name, today Baba would have died as the president’ [1]. This mathematical assessment suggests that Mohamed believes a relatively modest increase in regional support could have fundamentally altered Kenya’s political trajectory.
Electoral Integrity Questions
Mohamed’s analysis extends to what he describes as suspiciously consistent voting patterns that have characterised Odinga’s multiple presidential campaigns. According to the MP, Raila has received approximately 1 million votes in each of his past four elections [1], a consistency that Mohamed appears to view as evidence of artificial constraints rather than natural political limits. The MP argued that Kenyans themselves bear responsibility for these close electoral outcomes, suggesting that Odinga should have secured victory by a decisive 60-40 margin [1]. This assertion implies that Mohamed believes the actual level of popular support for Odinga far exceeded what was reflected in official results, raising serious questions about the integrity of Kenya’s electoral processes.
Personal Defence and Party Loyalty
Facing apparent criticism over his role in ODM’s electoral management, Mohamed mounted a vigorous defence of his conduct and loyalty to Odinga. The MP specifically addressed allegations that he might be an ODM ‘mole’ and defended his handling of election funds, stating that money was to be managed through Safaricom by an individual named Patrick Mburu [1]. Mohamed emphasised his willingness to provide transparency, declaring: ‘I’m willing to share a bench with him to remind each other how things were to be done’ [1]. The MP’s defence was particularly pointed regarding suggestions that he had contributed to electoral defeat, arguing: ‘I didn’t lose Raila the election, because if I did, we would not have remained friends. After the election, he appointed me a leader in Parliament’ [1]. This response highlights the intense internal scrutiny within ODM following repeated electoral disappointments.