Pauline Njoroge Blames Azimio’s 2022 Loss on Internal Failures, Not Voters

Pauline Njoroge has reignited debate over the 2022 General Election, arguing that Azimio la Umoja lost the presidency due to internal mismanagement rather than voter rejection. 

She claimed that President William Ruto himself was “shocked” to have been declared the winner.

In a strongly worded statement, Njoroge said Raila Odinga lost by a narrow margin of roughly 200,000 votes in what she described as “an election that was Baba’s to lose.” 

She suggested that Ruto seemed better prepared to serve as opposition leader than as head of government, citing what she called his unsteady start in office.

At the heart of her critique is the collapse of Azimio’s election agents’ system. Njoroge argued that the coalition abandoned a proven and effective agents’ network previously used by TNA in 2013 and Jubilee in 2017. 

She alleged that the system was deliberately weakened by placing agents under politicians instead of professional administrators, which she says disrupted coordination and oversight.

According to Njoroge, this decision led to confusion at polling stations, low voter turnout in key strongholds, and cases of absent or unpaid agents. 

She directly criticized ODM Director of Elections Junet Mohamed, accusing him of prioritizing control and access to campaign funds over the operational work needed to secure victory.

She also dismissed claims that Raila Odinga was denied access to a key Westlands office during the campaign, noting that the office housed the official campaign secretariat and was largely staffed by ODM personnel.

Junet Mohamed, however, has countered Njoroge’s accusations, shifting blame to former President Uhuru Kenyatta and his brother Muhoho Kenyatta. 

Junet claimed that funds intended for agents were released to Muhoho, who delegated recruitment and payments to a private individual—a process that ultimately failed.

The exchange highlights deep divisions within Azimio over accountability for the 2022 election loss, reopening old wounds in a coalition that continues to struggle with unity years after the polls.