Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga — seen as the most loyal mouthpiece of impeached former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua — has reignited Kenya’s tribal tensions after mocking the death of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga as “God’s plan” to reclaim Mt. Kenya’s “stolen” development funds.
Speaking at a burial in Nyeri, Kahiga accused the late Odinga of colluding with President William Ruto to divert resources to Bondo — a claim critics say is a tired script lifted word-for-word from Gachagua’s divisive rhetoric.
This latest outburst is part of a familiar pattern. Gachagua himself repeatedly accused the government of sidelining Mt. Kenya in favour of opposition regions, while his ally, Nyandarua Senator John Methu, echoed similar claims that Ruto was “rewarding” Homa Bay despite rejection at the ballot. Together, they’ve peddled a toxic narrative framing national development as a tribal tug-of-war.
Kahiga’s remarks, observers say, reek of desperation and mimic the very venom that cost Gachagua his job. The former DP drew public outrage earlier this year after mocking Odinga’s illness — a move that saw him shunned from the funeral.
ODM chairperson and Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga condemned Kahiga’s comments, calling him “Gachagua’s mouthpiece” and demanding his removal as Council of Governors vice-chair. “His words are primitive and despicable,” she said.
Even within UDA, calls are mounting for disciplinary action as leaders scramble to contain the fallout. For many Kenyans, the spectacle is a grim reminder that Gachagua’s tribal ghost still haunts national politics — and that Kahiga remains its loudest echo.
