The United Democratic Alliance (UDA) has announced that it will take disciplinary action against Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga over remarks he made following the death of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
Speaking on Thursday, October 23, UDA Chairperson and Embu Governor Cecily Mbarire said the party would soon communicate its position to the governor.
"We are waiting to take some action at the party level. Now that he has been called by NCIC, we thought that it was right because he's actually dealing with the right institution that is concerned with the kind of statements he came up with.
"But we should surely be communicating to him shortly on our position as a party with regard to his statement. But we completely, as a party, disassociate ourselves with his sentiments and his statements," she said.
Tharaka Nithi Governor Muthomi Njuki also weighed in on the matter, noting that it was against the Kenyan culture to mock or celebrate the death of another person.
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"Our culture does not involve making mockery or celebrating other human beings or other human lives' death. It does not matter the relationship we had with those people when they were alive.
"It is not our culture to celebrate even the worst of our enemies' death, if it is such a thing. Because we know that life is given by God and life is taken by God. And therefore we cannot have mockery or have jokes around deaths of our fellow human beings," he said.
The row stems from a video that surfaced showing Kahiga making remarks that appeared to celebrate the death of the former Prime Minister.
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.
"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.
Meanwhile, earlier Thursday, Murang’a Senator Joe Nyutu cautioned against linking former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua to any statements made by Kahiga and former Nyeri Town MP Ngunjiri Wambugu.
He made it clear that the two no longer work with Gachagua and are now fully aligned with the government.
"ODM should not associate Governor Kahiga’s remarks, especially given his history of making reckless statements, with Rigathi Gachagua.
"Both Governor Kahiga and Ngunjiri Wambugu are no longer working with Gachagua; they are now aligned with the government. Therefore, any statements made by the two should not be linked to Gachagua," he said.
Nyutu also dismissed claims that Gachagua’s allies had planned to mobilize youths in Nyeri following Raila's death.
He said there was no such arrangement and that their decision to remain silent was deliberate to avoid further misinterpretation.
"We didn’t issue any formal statement regarding the alleged plans to mobilize youths in Nyeri to appear as though they were celebrating the death of Raila Odinga because if Rigathi was already being blamed for Raila’s illness, what would happen if we spoke now that he’s gone? That’s why we’ve chosen to mourn in silence," he added.
Nyutu further questioned ODM’s hostility toward Gachagua’s allies, saying their political frustrations were not directed at the party but rather at President William Ruto.
"We don’t understand why ODM is fighting us. We never had any problem with Raila Odinga because we didn’t vote for him. Our problem is with President William Ruto, whom we supported and voted for, yet he has thrown us under the bus," he further said.
