Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga has stepped down from his role as Vice Chairperson of the Council of Governors (CoG) following widespread backlash over comments he made regarding the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
Kahiga came under intense criticism after appearing to express satisfaction over Raila’s death during a funeral in Nyeri on Tuesday. In his remarks, Kahiga suggested that the political alliance between President William Ruto and Raila had shifted government focus and resources towards the Nyanza region, marginalizing the Mt. Kenya region.
In a press statement delivered on Wednesday, Kahiga issued a public apology and announced his immediate resignation from the CoG position.
“I apologize to the Odinga family, the ODM party, my fellow governors, and the wider Nyanza community,” Kahiga said. “These were my personal views and do not represent the sentiments of the people of Nyeri or the Council of Governors.”
Kahiga, who had only been elected as CoG Vice Chair on October 6, 2025, said he was accepting full responsibility for his comments.
Speaking in Kikuyu during the funeral, Kahiga claimed that Raila’s passing had changed the political dynamics ahead of the 2027 General Election, describing it as a divine intervention that disrupted what he saw as a biased development agenda favoring Nyanza.
He told mourners that government projects had been increasingly directed toward the Nyanza region, alleging that Mt. Kenya had been sidelined in favor of future political plans. “God saw it fit to intervene,” he said, adding that Raila’s death had “reset the game” and forced leaders to reconsider their political strategies.
The remarks sparked outrage across the country, leading the Council of Governors to hold an emergency meeting. CoG Chair Ahmed Abdullahi distanced the council from Kahiga’s comments, labeling them as personal and not representative of the Council’s stance.
Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga, who also chairs the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), condemned the comments, calling them “primitive, offensive, and deeply disrespectful.” She also accused Kahiga of perpetuating ethnic discrimination, especially against the Luo community and Raila Odinga, calling the remarks a new low in political discourse.
