Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga steps down as CoG Vice Chair

Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga has stepped down as the Council of Governors vice chairperson.

Kahiga's resignation comes amid public uproar over remarks he made on Tuesday, allegedly celebrating the death of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.

This comes hours before the scheduled meeting by CoG to deliberate on the matter.

"I want to sincerely apologise to our morning nation, to the family of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, Mama Ida, her children Rosemary, Junior and Winnie, Senator Oburu Oginga, Ruth Odinga, other siblings, the larger extended family, the ODM fraternity, the Luo nation and the Kenyans at large, and to my colleague leaders from all sides of the political devide for any harm it has elicited," he said.

"The clip was taken while attending a burial in my home village, and my remarks were in no way celebratory," he added.

"What I meant is that under the broad-based government, we have skilled development and politically, the loss of Raila sends everyone back to the drawing board, as the popular goes, God takes the best, and it is in this context that I made those remarks in vernacular."

Kahiga said the remarks he made were his own personal views and therefore should in no way be associated by a community position or any political affiliation nor the Council of Governors.

"Iin noting the huge public interets that this isue has generated, I am taking responsibility of the real and perceived meaning of my remarks and as a result therefore, I have decided that with immediate effect I am going to step down as the Vice chair of the Council of Governors and as I do that I aslo pray that the soulof the Raila Odinga continue resting in peace," he concluded.

Kahiga has sparked national outrage after a video where he reportedly claimed that the death of Raila will now “free” government resources for the Mt Kenya region, went viral.

Speaking in vernacular at a funeral in Nyeri, Kahiga said the government had diverted attention and resources to Nyanza because of President William Ruto’s working relationship with Raila in the months leading up to his death.

"The plan that had been hatched if you look keenly, for you who do not travel because I was in that region, all goodies were being directed there because of tomorrow’s plans because it seemed like they did away with us but God came and brought this thing," Kahiga said.

"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 saw up there people in heaven are disagreeing a lot and came for Baba so that he can go and smoothen things up there." 

Raila, who died of cardiac arrest on October 15 while receiving treatment in India, had entered into a working arrangement with Ruto after years of political rivalry.