Ndegwa Njiru: Kibaki would have won 2002 presidential race even without Raila’s endorsement
By Aloys Michael, August 17, 2025Prominent advocate and human rights activist Ndegwa Njiru has challenged a long-standing narrative surrounding ODM leader Raila Odinga‘s role in the 2002 general election.
In a statement on his X account on Sunday, August 17, 2025, Ndegwa argued that Raila’s famed Kibaki Tosha declaration did not make the late President Mwai Kibaki take over the government.
“The notion that Raila Odinga made Mwai Kibaki a president by declaring ‘Kibaki Tosha’ must be debunked. Raila had no other option after his strategy to secure the KANU presidential ticket failed,” the statement read.
He argued that Raila’s move was more of a political necessity than an act of kingmaking.
“Raila left KANU on October 5, 2002, and declared ‘Kibaki Tosha’ just 73 days before the general elections on December 27, 2002. He had to join the political coalition already formed by Mwai Kibaki, Wamalwa Kijana, and Charity Ngilu,” he argued.
According to Njiru, the Rainbow Coalition was already taking shape before Raila’s entry, and the momentum for change had been building across the country.
“In reality, Raila’s ‘Kibaki Tosha’ announcement was merely a tactic. Kibaki would have won the 2002 elections even without this endorsement,” the lawyer noted.
This revisionist take aims to correct what Njiru views as political myth-making around Raila’s role in Kenya’s democratic transition.
His remarks now reignite discussions about the true architects of Kenya’s 2002 democratic breakthrough and whether history has given too much credit to one man while overlooking the broader coalition and the national mood that drove the change.
“We must not allow history to be distorted for political convenience,” he added.
Njiru’s remarks come at a time when Raila’s political legacy is under renewed scrutiny amid ongoing debates about leadership, succession, and historical accountability in Kenyan politics.
While many view Raila’s declaration as a pivotal moment that united the opposition and sealed Kibaki’s win, Njiru contends that the outcome was already inevitable.
“The political tide was turning, and Kenyans were ready for change,” he asserted.
Njiru, a member of the United Opposition, has also been at the forefront of bare-knuckling the Ruto-Raila pact, accusing the government of orchestrating violence and dwindling the fight for justice.