Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga has resigned as the Council of Governors (CoG) vice chairperson.

Kahiga’s resignation follows backlash over his remarks on the death of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.

“I am taking responsibility for the real and perceived meaning of my remarks and as a result, I have decided that with immediate effect to step down as the Vice Chair of the Council of Governors,” he said in a statement on Wednesday, October 22. 

Kahiga further clarified that the remarks he made while attending a burial at his home village on Tuesday were his personal views and not those of the community he comes from. 

“Let me make it clear that the remarks I made are my personal views and therefore should in no way be associated with a community’s position or any political affiliation, nor the Council of Governors.” 

Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga steps down as Vice CoG chair, apologises to Odinga’s family and Kenyans over his remarks

Video by Mercy Kahenda pic.twitter.com/9rnkIRSSt7

— The Standard Digital (@StandardKenya) October 22, 2025

In the now viral clip, Kahiga suggested that Odinga’s death was God’s plan to help the Mt Kenya region regain access to State resources that had allegedly been redirected elsewhere.

The county boss, speaking in his native Kikuyu language, claimed that the political partnership between President William Ruto and Odinga had shifted government development priorities towards the Nyanza region, sidelining Mt Kenya.

“You guys can see; you can see what had been planned, but God brought something up. Now it’s total confusion. Everybody can see that. We did not harbor hate for anyone, but God came through for us. Because 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,” said Kahiga.

His remarks, however, did not sit well with his counterparts and Kenyans at large.

Many, including ODM National Chair Gladys Wanga, called for his resignation, terming him a reckless leader who is fueling tribal divisions.

Leaders from his region, as well as the Council of Governors, distanced themselves from his remarks, noting that Kahiga spoke for no one but himself.

In his defense, Kahiga stated: “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 former Prime Minister Raila Odinga sends everyone back to the drawing board. As the popular saying goes, ‘God takes the best and it is in this context that I made those remarks in vernacular.”

“From the very onset I want to sincerely apologize to our mourning nation, to the family of the Former Prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga, Mama Ida Odinga, her children Rosemary, Junior and Winnie, Senator Oburu Odinga and Ruth Odinga and other siblings and the larger extended family, the 0DM 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,” he said. 

The resignation comes minutes before a presser by the Council, where they announced his removal from the leadership.

“A resolution as of today is that the Council has passed a vote of no confidence on Mutahi Kahiga and has agreed to remove him as vice chair with immediate effect. In due course, we will hold another meeting where a new vice chair will be elected,” said CoG chair Ahmed Abdullah.