A 2019 image showing President Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM leader Raila Odinga at a Nairobi event has renewed discussions about Kenyatta potentially serving as Odinga's running mate in the 2022 presidential election, according to Narok Senator Ledama Olekina.
Olekina, a close Odinga ally, argued in April 2022 tweets that Kenyan law does not bar the sitting president from seeking the deputy role. 'If Governors are running for Senate why can’t the President run for Deputy President?' he questioned, referencing Article 137(1) of the constitution which he claimed permits the move.
The suggestion emerged as Kenyatta's term ended in August 2022, after which he would be ineligible to run for president again. Odinga's camp had considered candidates including Peter Kenneth and Martha Karua, while Deputy President William Ruto's allies explored options like Musalia Mudavadi and Rigathi Gachagua for their own vice-presidential slot.
Olekina's remarks followed a 2019 meeting between Kenyatta and Odinga at Bomas of Kenya, captured in a photo published by Nairobi News. The image resurfaced amid ongoing political alliance discussions ahead of the 2022 election cycle.
