Nyeri governor Mutahi Kahiga did not resign, was kicked out by CoG, Kakamega County boss says

Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa yesterday claimed Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga was unanimously removed from his position as the vice chairman of the Council of Governors (CoG) on Wednesday morning, moments before he announced his resignation.

Barasa condemned Governor Kahiga's remarks celebrating former Prime Minister Raila Odinga's death, terming them unfortunate.

"When the entire world is mourning the death of Raila Amolo Odinga, Governor Kahiga was in a funeral in Kieni celebrating the death of Raila. As a council we had a meeting this morning and we have unanimously removed him as vice chair," he said on Wednesday during a meeting with his County Executive Committee members in Kakamega.

In a video clip that has since gone viral, Kahiga told mourners at a funeral in Nyeri on Tuesday that Raila's death had levelled the playing field forcing all political players, including President William Ruto, to return to the drawing board ahead of the 2027 General Election.

The sentiments have sparked public uproar with leaders from both the political divide condemning them as reckless and unacceptable.

"Those comments, we have made it very clear that they were personal comments and all of us have disassociated ourselves from those unfortunate, reckless and insensitive comments which have portrayed him as a tribalist," Barasa said.

This came after Kahiga announced his resignation while issuing an apology to the Odinga family.

"I am taking responsibility for the real and perceived meaning of my remarks and as a result I have decided to step down as the vice chair of Council of Governors with immediate effect," Kahiga said.

Minutes later, the CoG chair Wajir Governor Ahmed Abdullahi said: ""In view of this meeting, the Council has unanimously agreed to remove Kahiga Mutahi from the leadership of the Council as Vice Chairperson with immediate effect. We have also agreed that we will hold another meeting where a new vice chair will be elected."

Governor Abdullahi spoke after convening a special council meeting that sought to discuss the conduct of their Nyeri counterpart, condemning the utterances as "untimely, reckless, and unspeakable".