ODM leaders have issued a warning to former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, cautioning him against visiting Bondo, the home area of the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
Speaking during a press briefing on Wednesday, October 22, ODM Kisumu Vice Chairperson Seth Kanga said Gachagua's visit is not welcome due to what he described as his past unfriendly remarks towards the party.
"We heard yesterday that Rigathi Gachagua and his team were supposed to pay homage to the home of Raila Odinga. We urge Gachagua not to step in Bondo. Don't step in Bondo, as your statements are not very friendly to us as ODM," he said.
This comes following the emergence of a video showing Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga making remarks that appeared to celebrate Raila's death.
Read More
While speaking in Kikuyu during an event in Kieni, Nyeri County, Kahiga claimed that Raila’s death was part of God’s plan to return development to the Mt. Kenya region.
In the video, he is heard saying that the passing of Raila had disrupted political plans that, according to him, excluded the mountain region from government priorities.
"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 said.
However, Mutahi has since apologised and resigned from his role as the Vice-Chairperson of the Council of Governors (CoG).
Addressing the media on Wednesday, 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.
Kahiga said that his remarks were not a celebration of the former Prime Minister's death, explaining 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.
Kahiga also said the remarks were his personal views and should not be associated with his community’s position, political affiliation, or the 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," he added.
