Muhoho Kenyatta’s visit to State House on January 22, 2026, has ignited public debate and political scrutiny, coming at a time when his name is already entangled in fresh allegations over the handling of Ksh500 million campaign funds during the 2022 general election.
President William Ruto was presiding over the President’s Award–Kenya Gold Award presentation to 1,252 youth at State House, an award that recognises young people who have successfully completed the Gold level of the President’s Award–Kenya (PA-K) programme, a youth development initiative focused on personal growth, leadership, service, physical recreation and adventurous journeys.
Muhoho Kenyatta at State House
Muhoho Kenyatta attended the State House awards ceremony not simply as a high-profile guest, but in an official role linked to his leadership positions within the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Foundation.
The organisation is the international framework under which the President’s Award–Kenya operates.
In his role, Muhoho Kenyatta represents African interests within the Award’s global governance framework and contributes to high‑level discussions on expanding the programme’s reach, strengthening quality standards, and building partnerships that support youth development.
He was specifically acknowledged by President William Ruto during his remarks at the State House Gold Award presentation ceremony, where the President acknowledged his presence as a representative of the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award’s International Council.
“Our young people rank among the best in the world and they will, in the long-run, build Kenya into a first-world economy. We are proud of the 1,252 awardees who have demonstrated sustained resilience, commitment and leadership, qualifying for the Gold prize,” President William Ruto stated at the ceremony.
However, what would ordinarily have been a routine appearance tied to youth empowerment quickly spilled into the political arena, as Kenyans online and in political circles questioned the timing of the visit, as it coincided with the sale of NCBA Group.
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Ruto and Uhuru Kenyatta have also had a strained relationship since the 2022 elections, when Uhuru supported Raila Odinga against Ruto.
Seeing Uhuru’s brother at State House—publicly welcomed—has sparked talk among Kenyans of a behind-the-scenes easing of tensions or quiet negotiations ahead of 2027 politics.
NCBA Group Sale
Muhoho Kenyatta has a direct personal and family connection to the ongoing Nedbank acquisition proposal for NCBA Group, which was announced on January 21, 2026.
The Kenyatta family holds a 13.2% stake in NCBA Group through their investment vehicle, Enke Investments Limited (also known as Enkle Investments).
This makes them the second-largest shareholder after the Ndegwa family, who hold a 14.94% stake.
The stake represents a substantial holding, valued at around Ksh18–20 billion in recent months, depending on share price fluctuations.
Muhoho himself was appointed as a Non-Executive Director on the NCBA Group board effective December 1, 2025.
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His appointment is widely seen as strategic, giving the Kenyatta family a stronger voice in governance during this pivotal period of potential ownership change.
“NCBA has confirmed it is aware of the proposed takeover and is engaging the relevant regulators and stakeholders. The bank says the process is still at an early stage and any transaction would only proceed subject to regulatory approvals and completion of the required due diligence,” NCBA Group stated in a public press release.
Muhoho Kenyatta as the Mastermind of Raila’s loss
The visit to the State House has also reignited debate after allegations framing Muhoho Kenyatta as the central figure orchestrating Raila Odinga’s narrow defeat in the 2022 presidential election.
The allegations revolve around a claimed Ksh500 million allocation meant for Azimio la Umoja election agents and polling monitors.
In early January 2026, amid escalating ODM infighting, Suna East MP Junet Mohamed, who was once a strong Raila confidant, publicly accused former President Uhuru Kenyatta of channeling the money directly to his brother Muhoho rather than campaign structures.
Junet claimed Muhoho, then tasked aide Patrick Mburu, an alleged IT specialist and Uhuru loyalist, with recruitment and payments.
“The money meant for the agents during the elections are with Uhuru Kenyatta, Muhoho Kenyatta and their worker Patrick Mburu. Ksh500 million is not an amount of money you can carry in yoour hands. So which account did they send the money to? Those blaming me are just looking for someone to blame because I was the closest aide to Raila among them. Facts are stubborn,” Junet Mohammed stated during an interview.
This, he argued, resulted in agents going unpaid and undeployed in crucial regions like Mt. Kenya and Nyanza, crippling monitoring of polling stations and turnout efforts on election day.
These claims emerged as Junet defended himself against counter-accusations from ODM Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna that he personally mishandled funds.
Junet’s allegations remain unproven, with no independent probe or court supporting the allegations.
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