Kikuyu elders visit Raila’s grave in Bondo amid Kahiga row
By David Nthua, October 22, 2025A delegation of Kikuyu elders led by Ndia Member of Parliament George Kariuki on Wednesday, October 22, 2025, visited the grave of the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga at his Opoda Farm home in Bondo, Siaya County.
Speaking during the emotional visit, MP Kariuki said the trip was a gesture of solidarity, respect, and national unity following the passing of a man he described as “a towering figure who shaped Kenya’s democracy.”
Also watch: Uhuru Kenyatta pays quiet tribute at Raila Odinga’s grave in Bondo
Kikuyu elders remarks
“We have come to offer our sincerest condolences to Mama Ida Odinga and the Odinga family. I am joined by senior elders representing all counties from the Central region,” said Kariuki, who also chairs the Parliamentary Committee on Roads and Transport.
The group, comprising elders from Nyandarua, Nyeri, Murang’a, Kiambu, Laikipia, Nakuru, Nairobi, Kirinyaga, Lamu, and the Kikuyu diaspora, made the journey to personally honour the late ODM leader in keeping with Kikuyu cultural traditions.
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According to MP Kariuki, although he attended Raila’s state funeral, the elders felt compelled to pay their respects separately, as tradition demands that elders personally visit the bereaved to express condolences.
“I was present at the state funeral, but our customs require elders to personally visit the family of the departed. During the funeral, time was limited, so we planned this trip to offer a dignified and meaningful farewell to Raila,” he explained.
The delegation laid a wreath and held a moment of silence at Raila’s grave before presenting nine bulls to Mama Ida Odinga and her family — a symbolic Kikuyu gesture of mourning and solidarity.
The Kahiga controversy
“Raila Odinga was not just a Luo leader or a political figure; he was a national icon whose ideals of justice, democracy, and unity inspired millions of Kenyans. His legacy belongs to all of us,” Kariuki said.
The elders’ visit comes just a day after Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga sparked widespread outrage over remarks that appeared to celebrate Raila’s death, calling it a divine act that “levelled the political field.”
Also watch: Kahiga steps down as Council of Governors deputy chair after public outcry
Kariuki, while not mentioning Kahiga directly, said the visit was meant to reaffirm the Kikuyu community’s respect for Raila and its belief in unity across all ethnic lines.
“As elders, we believe this gesture reinforces the truth that Kenya is one family.
“In honouring Raila Odinga, we honour the spirit of togetherness and the ideals that unite our nation,” Kariuki said.