Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga
By Njoroge David
Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga has resigned as vice chairperson of the Council of Governors (CoG) after public outrage over remarks widely interpreted as celebrating the death of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
Kahiga, who made the comments in Kikuyu during a funeral in Nyeri on Tuesday, said Raila’s death had “levelled the political playing field,” claiming government development priorities had been unfairly shifted toward the Nyanza region after President William Ruto and Raila entered a working arrangement earlier this year.
“You can see what had been planned, but God brought something up. Now it’s total confusion,” said Kahiga.
“We did not harbour hate for anyone, but God came through for us,” he added.
The remarks sparked nationwide condemnation, with Homa Bay Governor and Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) chairperson Gladys Wanga calling them “primitive, insensitive, and insulting.”
Wanga accused Kahiga of “a new low in our politics,” observing that his comments reflected long-standing ethnic profiling against the Luo community.
The Council of Governors convened an extraordinary meeting on Wednesday morning to discuss the issue.
CoG chair Ahmed Abdullahi distanced the council from Kahiga’s remarks, saying they were “personal views that do not reflect the position of the Council.”
Facing growing backlash, Kahiga apologised publicly and announced his resignation hours before the CoG meeting.
“I want to apologise to the family of Raila Odinga, Mama Ida, their children Rosemary, Junior, and Winnie, the larger ODM fraternity, and Kenyans at large,” note Kahiga, adding, “My remarks were personal and not those of the people of Nyeri or the Council of Governors.”
He added that the viral clip had been “taken out of context,” noting, “What I meant is that the loss of Raila sends everyone back to the drawing board politically, as the saying goes, God takes the best.”
Kahiga, who was elected CoG vice chair on October 6, said he was taking responsibility “for the real and perceived meaning” of his comments and stepping down with immediate effect.
Raila, 80, died on October 15 in India, where he was receiving treatment for cardiac arrest. His death has reshaped Kenya’s political landscape, forcing alliances to recalibrate ahead of the 2027 General Election.
