Atwoli blames Uhuru for Raila’s 2022 loss, says he never delivered Ksh.400M for agents

The Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU) Secretary General Francis Atwoli has warned Western Kenya politicians against associating with retired President Uhuru Kenyatta.

Atwoli accused Uhuru of failing to fully support the late Azimio la Umoja One Kenya flagbearer Raila Odinga in the 2022 presidential race.

He claimed Odinga did not have agents at polling stations, contrary to what was planned and promised by the former coalition leader, Uhuru.

He rallied leaders from the region to remain united and turn out in large numbers in next year’s General Election.

“When you incite people that you refused, ukiwa kwa kiti, kuwasaidia…na hakuna mtu mean kama huyo kwa ajili tulikuwa kwa Azimio sisi sote…sisi tulianguka kura kwa ajili yeye alituahidi atapatia Raila Amollo Odinga Ksh.400 million ya agents…sisi hatukuwa na agents,” said Atwoli.

“Wale watu walisimama katika tikiti ya Azimio, tulikuwa tunategemea agents wa mjumbe ndio anasaidia Raila Amollo Odinga. Yeye hakufanya mkutano pahali popote katika Kenya kusaidia Raila Amollo Odinga kura kuwa president. Sasa wale wanasema anatembea na Sifuna..kama hakusaidia Raila Amollo Odinga, atasaidia Sifuna?”

The long-simmering cracks within the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) this year burst into the open, with senior party officials trading explosive accusations over the handling of campaign funds during Odinga’s failed 2022 presidential bid.

The war of words between ODM Secretary General and Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, and the party’s Director of Elections and Suna East MP Junet Mohamed dragged Uhuru into the fray and reopened painful questions about what went wrong in 2022.

Speaking on January 3, 2026 during the burial of Embakasi North MP James Gakuya’s mother, Sifuna launched a blistering attack on Junet, accusing him of hypocrisy and misusing funds donated by Uhuru to support Raila’s campaign.

In a fiery address, Sifuna reminded ODM supporters that Raila recorded his strongest-ever performance in the Mt. Kenya region in 2022, garnering over one million votes; a feat he attributed in large part to Uhuru’s backing.

Sifuna openly thanked the former President for bankrolling the campaign, saying much of the money ODM used came directly from Uhuru.

He directly accused Junet of turning his back and now pretending that Uhuru’s money was “dirty”, despite having benefited from it at the time.

“Lazima nitoe shukrani…unajua watu wengi wamesahau Mlima Kenya hii, kwa mara ya kwanza, Raila Amollo Odinga alizoa kura zaidi ya milioni moja. Na ndio maana mliona nikipigia Uhuru Kenyatta asante…kwa sababu alitusaidia. Mlitusukuma, lakini alitusaidia. Wengine walikula pesa ya Uhuru Kenyatta sasawa. Mim najua kama katibu mkuu, pesa nyingi ambayo tulifanyia campaign ilikuwa inatoka kwa Uhuru Kenyatta; alitusupport kwa hali na mali,” said Sifuna at the time.

“Lakini sasa sai kuna mshenzi mmoja ametambua kwamba kuna ubaya wa pesa ya Uhuru Kenyatta. Nataka niulize Junet, pesa ya Uhuru ilianza kuwa mbaya siku gani? Siku ile ulikuwa unachukua hiyo pesa…na ata yote hukuleta kwa chama, ingine ulikula pekee yako na mabibi yako. Siku ile tutaanza audit ya uchaguzi wa 2022, ni vizuri umeanzisha hiyo debate kila mtu aseme ile kazi alifanya.”