Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga Resigns as CoG Vice Chair Amid Outrage Over Raila Remarks
Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga has stepped down as the Vice Chairperson of the Council of Governors (CoG) following nationwide condemnation over his controversial remarks that appeared to celebrate the death of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
While speaking at a funeral in Nyeri on Tuesday, Kahiga claimed that the political arrangement between President William Ruto and Raila Odinga had redirected government development projects toward the Nyanza region, leaving Mt. Kenya with fewer benefits.
In his remarks, delivered in the Kikuyu dialect, Kahiga suggested that Raila’s passing had “levelled the playing field,” forcing political leaders — including President Ruto — to rethink their strategies ahead of the 2027 General Election. He described the turn of events as “God’s plan for the region.”
“You can see what had been planned, but God brought something up. Now it’s total confusion. We did not harbor hate for anyone, but God came through for us,” said Kahiga, adding that development had been unfairly tilted toward Nyanza.
The remarks triggered widespread outrage, with Kenyans and political leaders accusing the governor of insensitivity and divisive politics.
In a press briefing on Wednesday, Kahiga issued an apology and announced his resignation from the CoG position, which he had held since October 6, 2025.
“I want to apologize to the family, the larger ODM fraternity, my colleagues, and the people of the Nyanza region,” he said. “My remarks were personal and do not represent the people of Nyeri or the Council of Governors. I take full responsibility and resign with immediate effect.”
The Council of Governors convened an extraordinary meeting on Wednesday morning to address the controversy. In a statement, CoG Chair Ahmed Abdullahi distanced the council from Kahiga’s comments, emphasizing that they did not reflect the views of the CoG.
Homa Bay Governor and ODM chairperson Gladys Wanga condemned Kahiga’s remarks, describing them as “primitive, insensitive, and insulting.” She accused him of perpetuating ethnic profiling against the Luo community and said his words marked “a new low in Kenya’s political discourse.”
