Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga has issued an apology following his remarks on the death of ODM leader Raila Odinga.
Addressing the media on Wednesday, October 22, Governor Kahiga extended his apology to the family of Raila, the ODM fraternity, the Luo community, and Kenyans for the utterances he made.
“I want to take this moment to address issues that have emanated from a vernacular clip that is circulating on social media.
“From the very onset, I want to sincerely apologize to our mourning nation, to the family of the Rt. Hon Former Prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga; Mama Ida Odinga, her children Rosemary, Junior and Winnie, Hon. Senator Oburu Odinga and Hon. MP Ruth Odinga and other siblings and the larger extended family, the ODM fraternity, the Luo Nation and Kenyans at large, and to my colleague leaders from all sides of the political divide for any harm that it has elicited,” said Kahiga.
The Nyeri Governor said that his remarks were not a celebration of the former Prime Minister’s death.
Kahiga explained that he meant that the loss of Raila has sent everyone back to the drawing board.
“My remarks were in no way celebratory. What I meant is that under the current broad-based government, we have seen skewed development and, politically, the loss of the Rt. Hon Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga sends everyone back to the drawing board,” he stated.
He also said the remarks were his personal views and should not be associated with his community’s position, political affiliation, or the Council of Governors (CoG).
Further, the Nyeri Governor stepped down from his position as the Vice Chairperson of CoG.
“In noting the huge public interest that this issue has generated, I am taking responsibility for the real and perceived meaning of my remarks and as a result, I have decided that with immediate effect, I’m going to step down as the vice chair of the council of governors,” Kahiga added.
Speaking on Tuesday in the Kikuyu dialect during a funeral in Nyeri County, Governor Kahiga claimed that the death of the former Prime Minister was a blessing in disguise for the Mt Kenya region.
The Nyeri County boss claimed that Raila’s agreement with the current government had sidelined the Mt. Kenya region from accessing government resources.
“The plan that had been hatched, if you look keenly, for you who do not travel, because I was in that region, all goodies were being directed there because of tomorrow’s plan, because it seemed like they did away with us, but God came and brought this thing. So now people have been told to go back to the drawing board because the plan that was there was probably to throw us out.
“But who is God. Does he take ugali at somebody’s house or sleep in Kayole? He came through in his own way. He saw up there people in heaven are disagreeing a lot and came for Baba so that he can go and smoothen things up there,” he said.
The remarks sparked condemnation across social media, with leaders and netizens calling out the Nyeri Governor.
CoG Chairperson Ahmed Abdullahi convened an extraordinary meeting to discuss Kahiga’s utterances.
“In light of the above, I have convened an urgent Extra-Ordinary Council Meeting to be held tomorrow morning to deliberate on these unfortunate utterances, and further statements will follow,” Abdullahi stated.
