- COTU secretary general Francis Atwoli questioned former president Uhuru Kenyatta’s political influence ahead of the 2027 General Election
- Atwoli questioned claims that Uhuru’s support could have given Jubilee deputy leader Fred Matiang’i the House.
- He pointed to confusion within Raila’s 2022 campaign, saying Uhuru’s involvement lacked clear coordination with the frontline teams
- Warning Matiang’i to rely on his political system, Atwoli said good intentions and wishes do not change votes
General Secretary of the Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU) Francis Atwoli has questioned the political influence of former President Uhuru Kenyatta ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Source: UGC
He says that the failure of Uhuru to win for the late Raila Odinga in the 2022 General Election weakens his ability to convince any preferred candidate to enter the White House.
What did Atwoli say about Raila’s 2022 campaign?
During the interview on Citizen TV On Wednesday, January 7, Atwoli questioned the belief that Uhuru’s support could be important in Jubilee Party deputy leader Fred Matiang’i’s reported presidential aspirations.
In Atwoli’s view, recent history shows that Uhuru’s support alone, without visible political mobilization, has little meaning in Kenya’s electoral contest.
Atwoli focused his argument on the 2022 presidential election, where Raila, despite enjoying the public support of Uhuru, was defeated by the President William Ruto.
According to the veteran trade union activist, Uhuru’s involvement with Raila’s campaign team was unclear and inconsistent, leaving those on the front lines uncertain about strategy and direction.
“Uhuru seemed to support Baba, but at no time did he call a meeting with the people who were in the front line campaigning for Raila. Maybe he was meeting with Baba, with about two or three people. But clearly, he did not come out to see the team that supports Raila nor did he give direction,” Atwoli said.
He said this lack of organized participation echoed concerns previously raised by Suna East Member of Parliament Junet Mohamed, who had questioned how the campaign was conducted at a critical time.
Atwoli stressed that the confusion within Raila’s campaign was not an indication of dishonesty or mismanagement by the opposition leader.
The COTU boss said that this was a sign of weak coordination from those expected to provide strong political leadership.
“This is what Junet was explaining. You never know what is going on. Dad was an honest man; he could not accept money and he could not pay agents,” he added.
Can Matiang’i rely on Uhuru for the 2027 vote?
Drawing on that experience, Atwoli warned that Matiang’i should tread carefully if he hopes to benefit from Uhuru’s endorsement.
He claimed that good intentions from the former president, without public influence and electoral systems, cannot produce a presidential victory.
Source: Facebook
Atwoli emphasized that although Uhuru would want Raila to win in 2022, desire alone does not mean electoral success.
“Now I hear that he wants Matiang’i to be the president. If Matiang’i is not careful with his own actions, Uhuru will not make him the president. If he did not make Raila, how can he make Matiang’i the president?
He might have wanted Raila to be president, but he had no power to make him president; desiring and being able are different” Atwoli said.
He further questioned Uhuru’s position even within his traditional political stronghold, suggesting that Jubilee’s declining fortunes were evident at grassroots level.
Why is Uhuru to blame for Raila’s defeat in the 2022 vote?
Earlier, the general secretary of COTU addressed the debate about Raila’s defeat in the 2022 presidential election.
Atwoli claimed that Uhuru bore the biggest responsibility for the failed bid, saying that the former president, despite supporting Raila, did not properly engage or support key campaigners and may have failed to release promised funds.
The veteran trade unionist further emphasized that even if the constitutional changes allowed Uhuru to contest again, he would still not be able to defeat President William Ruto.
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