Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga has faced widespread condemnation after making remarks seen as politicising and mocking the death of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
Speaking in Kikuyu at a burial ceremony in Nyeri, Kahiga suggested that Odinga’s death was part of God’s plan to redirect State resources back to the Mt Kenya region, claiming that previous political arrangements had favoured Nyanza.
A video of his speech circulating on social media shows Kahiga asserting that Odinga’s death had “levelled the playing field,” forcing political leaders, including President William Ruto, to “go back to the drawing board” ahead of the 2027 general election.
He claimed that government projects had been disproportionately directed to Nyanza for political reasons and framed the former Prime Minister’s passing as a divine intervention that restored balance.
Kahiga said: “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… 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.”
The comments drew sharp criticism from leaders across the political divide. East African Community Principal Secretary Dr Caroline Karugu described them as “silly and deeply unfortunate,” saying they did not reflect the views of the majority in the region and that mourners deserved respect.
Nyandarua Senator John Methu called the remarks “extremely unfortunate,” while former nominated Senator Millicent Omanga accused Kahiga of stoking ethnic divisions at a sensitive time, warning that such statements from elected leaders were “irresponsible and dangerous.”
The backlash highlights the continuing sensitivity around Raila Odinga’s death and the potential political and ethnic tensions that can emerge when public figures make inflammatory comments. Kahiga has yet to respond to the criticism.
