This article outlines the list of politicians vying for presidency in 2022.
Barely 7 months into the 2022 general elections in Kenya, a number of individuals have come out clear on various political posts they will be vying for. According to the constitution of Kenya 2010, the general election should be held on the second Tuesday of august after every five years. In the general elections, three are six elective posts to be contested for, which include the Member of County Assembly (MCA), Member of Parliament (MP), Woman Representative, Senator, Governor, and The President.
Several politicians have declared their interest in vying for the topmost political seat in the land. Some of them have been very active in politics while others are still developing their political careers. The ODM leader Raila Amollo Odinga and the deputy president William Ruto are among the politicians vying for presidency and have since started an early campaign ahead of the elections. Others are yet to officially make their declarations and launch their pre-campaigns.
Read also Celebrities Who Have Announced Joining Politics in 2022
Read Also List Of Counties in Kenya, Governors, Codes and Population 2021
Here is a list of Politicians who have declared their presence on the presidential ballot in the August 9 Elections.
Raila Odinga
ODM leader will be making his fifth strike at the presidential ballot this year. Kenyans believe that will be his fifth and the last time to vie for president, after which he will probably retire from active politics. There are a number of factors that will lead to his retirement among them old age that has caught up with him.
Recently, he launched his Azimio la Umoja campaign which focuses on making Kenya an industrial nation by majoring in economic growth, manufacturing, and industrialization. Some of the things that he would focus on are; Inua jamii, pesa mfukoni, baba care, kazi kwa wote, uchumi kwa akina mama, #inawezekana for the youth, waste not a single child for education, fukuza njaa, maji kwa kila boma, one county, one product and continuity of administration.
Kenyans believe that he will grab the seat this time now that he has support from the Mount Kenya Region which carries millions of voters and determines most of the winners at the presidential contest. The sitting president of Kenya H.E Uhuru Kenyatta has also shown signs of supporting the ODM chief in his quest for the presidency. This gives Raila an Upper hand when it comes to presidential endorsement and goodwill. He also enjoys support from a majority of outgoing governors who have declared to back him.
Read also Governors Supporting Raila Odinga’s 2022 Presidential Bid.
William Ruto
Needless to say, the Deputy President is among the top politicians vying for presidency in the forthcoming elections. He has been on the frontline campaigning across the country and popularizing his “Bottom-Up” economic model for the last two years. Running under United Democratic Party(UDA), the Deputy president says that he will use the bottom-up economy to save the country and ensure it will raise the economic status of the people at the bottom.
In his manifesto, he intends to create jobs for the unemployed youth by offering small interest and free loans to people to start businesses. He has also promised to ensure that the Big four agenda which they started with Uhuru Kenyatta that is; food security, affordable housing, manufacturing, and affordable health care is fulfilled.
Read also Governors Supporting Ruto in 2022 Presidential Bid.
Kalonzo Musyoka
In the years 2013 and 2017, he was Raila’s running mate but he has declared to run on his own this time. He announced in his Kamba background that he has supported a lot of people in the previous years but now he will be facing off with the bigwigs come august.
The Wiper party leader recently joined the One Kenya Alliance(OKA) which comprises Gideon Moi (KANU), Musalia Mudavadi (ANC), and Moses Wetangula (FORD KENYA). However, Mudavadi was recently seen having have come to good terms with Deputy President William Ruto after he visited his Official Declaration at the Bomas of Kenya on Sunday 23 January.
Ruto’s visit at the Bomas was not received well by other OKA principals who stormed out of the meeting when they got wind he was on his way. He promises to fix the country’s economy and create jobs for the unemployed youth. Kalonzo’s name now appears in the list of politicians vying for presidency in 2022.
Justin Muturi
The National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi has set his eyes on the presidential seat come 2022 general elections. His main agenda comprises of the following manifest: restoring order in civil service, accessible healthcare, creating jobs, fighting for national unity, ensuring integrity in public offices for good distribution of jobs, and equality in offices. He was coronated in 2021 as the Kingpin of Mount Kenya by Mount Kenya Elders who also endorsed him to run for the seat.
Jimi Wanjigi
The business mogul recently joined politics and declared his interest in the presidency under an ODM ticket. He has been seen campaigning across the country with his manifesto that is vested in economic development. He also promises to raise people’s living standards through improving healthcare standards, ensuring good access to resources, affordable housing, provision off; housing, food, water, security, education, and social security to the citizens. He has since deployed controversial comedian Eric Omondi as his chief campaigner with his slogan as “Fagia Wote”. Omondi has been seen campaigning for Wanjigi and spreading his manifesto across the country in a bid to popularize his presidential Bid.
Mwangi Wa Iria
In January 2020, the Murang’a governor who is ending his second term in office this year declared that he will be among the aspirants running for the presidential seat. In early August 2021, he launched his party “Usawa Kwa Wote” and hinted at his intention to vie for the presidency. He has been seen campaigning in a few parts of the country popularizing his party. However, he hasn’t officially launched his manifesto.
Alfred Mutua
Machakos Governor was one of the first politicians vying for presidency to launch their manifesto. During his manifesto launch, he outlined the13 pillars of the economy that he will focus on, which include; environment, foreign affairs, security, integrity, good life, free healthcare for all, accountability, infrastructure, social and welfare, youth agenda, manufacturing, social welfare, sports, and tourism. He has however gone silent on his bid and speculations are there that he might drop his bid to support Raila Odinga.
Kivutha Kibwana (Dropped)
The current Governor for Makueni county had recently urged Kenyans to vote him in him since he ought to solve the problems that have been affecting the country for a long time. He has been named as the best performing county boss in the country because the county has made progress in local manufacturing and good healthcare.
However, in 2022 January, he announced dropping his bid to support Raila Odinga. He joined a list of other 27 governors who have declared support for the ODM chief. He promises to hang around and vie for the seat in 2027 after Raila completes his term in office.
Musalia Mudavadi
The ANC party leader has also shown his interest in vying for the presidency in 2022. He recently held a meeting at the Bomas of Kenya that was dubbed Earthquake, where he made his declaration to vie for the presidency. It is however not clear whether he will run for the top seat or support William Ruto, who promised to work with him in the forthcoming elections.
