Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa has reignited debates over the 2007 presidential election, arguing that Raila Odinga’s loss was partly due to Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka’s decision to leave ODM.
Barasa made the remarks on X, highlighting how political alliances in the Rift Valley influenced the results.
According to Barasa, William Ruto, then an ODM leader, played a crucial role in mobilizing voters across the Rift Valley, contributing approximately 1.4 million votes to Raila Odinga.
“If Kalonzo had stayed with Baba, Odinga would have secured 5.2 million votes,” Barasa stated, referencing official election figures.
The 2007 polls were closely contested. The official tally showed Mwai Kibaki of PNU with 4,584,721 votes (46.4%) against Odinga’s 4,352,993 (44.1%).
Kalonzo Musyoka, running as an ODM-Kenya candidate, collected 879,903 votes (8.9%) before later joining Kibaki’s coalition as Vice President.
The disputed results triggered nationwide post-election violence, leaving more than a thousand people dead and tens of thousands displaced, eventually leading to a power-sharing deal in February 2008 that made Odinga Prime Minister.
Barasa’s comments come as discussions persist over political accountability and loyalty in Kenya’s electoral history.