Kahiga Steps Down as Council of Governors Vice Chair amid Backlash over Remarks on Raila Odinga's death

Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga has resigned as vice chairman of the Council of Governors following a unanimous vote to remove him over remarks he made regarding the death of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.

The decision came after a video emerged showing Governor Kahiga speaking at a funeral in Kieni Constituency, where he appeared to suggest that Odinga’s death was an act of divine intervention that politically benefited the Mt Kenya region. Delivered in Gikuyu, his comments implied that the passing disrupted alleged plans by President William Ruto and Odinga to sideline Mt Kenya in favour of the western and Nyanza regions. 

“God came and brought this thing (death),” he said, further claiming that the region had been excluded from national development efforts.

The remarks circulated widely on social media and drew strong criticism from across the political spectrum, with many describing them as insensitive and inappropriate during a period of national mourning. In response, the Council of Governors convened an emergency session to address the matter, ultimately endorsing Kahiga’s removal from the leadership role.

Following his resignation, Kahiga issued a public apology to Odinga’s family, the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), and the wider Kenyan public. In his statement, he expressed regret over the impact of his words and clarified that his intention was not to celebrate the former Prime Minister’s death but to comment on its political implications.

“I wish to extend my sincere and heartfelt apologies to our grieving nation,” he said.