NCIC Summons Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga Over Divisive Remarks on Raila Odinga’s Death
Photo of Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga at as funeral in Nyeri County
The National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) has summoned Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga to appear before the commission following his controversial remarks regarding the death of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
In its statement on Wednesday, NCIC charged Governor Kahiga with inflammatory and ethnically laced remarks that seemed to celebrate the death of the opposition leader. The commission observed that these were comments that were contrary to Sections 13 and 62 of the NCIC Act which forbids speech that fosters ethnic contempt, hatred, or discrimination.
The same video in which the governor was recorded saying the remarks at a public address on October 21, 2025, had been noted by the commission, according to NCIC Chairperson Samuel Kobia. The agency termed the remarks as being divisive and a danger to national cohesion.
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The statement mentioned that NCIC was deeply concerned with the statements made by Governor Mutahi Kahiga, on a publicly staged occasion on October 21, 2025. The commission also said that, after a preliminary investigation, Kahiga had been instructed to meet with the NCIC in its headquarters at Britam Towers, Upper Hill, Nairobi, to explain the nature and setting of his utterances and aid in other investigations.
The NCIC once again made it clear that it would continue working to maintain peace and unity in the nation, reminding leaders not to use the platforms at their disposal to engage in divisive rhetoric. It pointed out that political leaders have a special duty to foster harmony particularly when the nation is grieving.
The statement also gave warnings that the commission would not fear to take strong legal measures against any citizen even without regard to rank or political party that was involved in speech that is likely to create ethnic tension or hatred between communities.
The summons is close upon his resignation as a vice chairman of the Council of Governors, and a personal apology to the family of the late Raila Odinga. This was after having earlier on Wednesday morning spoken to journalists to apologize over the earlier statements he had made, and that the video which went viral had been misunderstood.
According to him, he had been misquoted by what he had said using his own language and that it did not indicate any ill will against Raila Odinga or his people. The governor sent out a letter to the Odinga family, the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) fraternity, as well as the country at large to apologize to them over any pain that had been caused by his words.
Kahiga was also sorry to the mourning country, Mama Ida Odinga, her children, and the rest of the Luo community and descried that his words were meant inappropriately in a time of mourning. He stressed that what he was saying was personal and he was not the voice of the Mount Kenya region or the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party.
Kahiga, in the press briefing, said “I wish to address the bereaved country, and the family of the departed Prime Minister Raila Odinga, Mama Ida Odinga, her children, to the extended family and ODM fraternity, to the Luo Nation and to all the Kenyans, that I am sorry.”
The case of the governor has attracted the attention of political analysts who observe that it is giving a new impetus to the NCIC to keep an eye on hate speech and volatile political commentaries, particularly during politically charged periods. The commission has also on several occasions urged leaders to exercise restraint and responsible communication by stating that inflammatory rhetoric might readily fuel ethnic hatred and disturb national peace.
It has also elicited mixed feelings amongst the Kenyans, many criticizing the comments as being insensitive, others have called on the NCIC to give due process and fairness to investigations.
The country is still grieving the death of the former prime minister who was a powerful politician and democracy supporter and the NCIC has reiterated that it was important to stay united as a nation. The commission emphasized that times of shared sorrows must be leveraged on to enhance solidarity but not increase social polarities.
