Kagwe distances Nyeri residents from Kahiga’s remarks on Raila’s death

Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture Mutahi Kagwe has dismissed remarks by Governor Mutahi Kahiga on the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, saying the sentiments expressed do not represent the people of Nyeri.

Speaking on the recent controversy, on Wednesday, October 22, 2025, Kagwe, who has represented Nyeri both in Parliament and the Senate, reiterated that the county’s residents are deeply mourning the passing of Raila alongside the rest of the nation.

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“I’ve represented the Nyeri people as a member of Parliament. I’ve represented the Nyeri people as a senator in Nyeri County. And I know the feelings of the Nyeri people. We are mourning with the rest of Kenya. I am personally mourning,” Kagwe said.

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He described Raila as a personal friend to himself and many within the county, adding that speaking ill of the departed is culturally repugnant.

“The late Honourable Raila Odinga was a personal friend of mine and of many people in Nyeri County. What I can tell you for a fact is that the words spoken by some are culturally repugnant. In our culture, it is unacceptable to speak ill of the departed,” he noted.

Kagwe was clear that Governor Kahiga’s remarks reflect only the speaker, not the wider Nyeri community. “When a person speaks on his own behalf, that has nothing to do with the rest of the community. Kahiga is not speaking for the Nyeri people,” he said.

He also urged leaders to exercise caution and sensitivity, noting that such remarks can be divisive, especially during collective mourning. “Politically, these kinds of statements are retrogressive. Morally, it is indefensible to make remarks that hurt people when their feelings are already vulnerable,” Kagwe added.

The Cabinet Secretary highlighted the importance of empathy, stressing that emotionally charged moments demand care and consideration. “As human beings, we must always be sensitive to each other and how we feel. We are mourning with the rest of Kenyans, and we must never mistake individual, insensitive remarks as representing anyone else except themselves,” he concluded.

Following the controversy, Governor Kahiga resigned as Vice-Chair of the Council of Governors and issued an apology to the Odinga family, seeking to make amends for his remarks that sparked nationwide outrage.