Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga has resigned from his position as the Vice Chairperson of the Council of Governors (CoG) following widespread public outrage over remarks he allegedly made celebrating the death of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.

Kahiga’s resignation comes just hours before the CoG was set to convene a special meeting to deliberate on the controversy surrounding his comments.

In a statement released on Wednesday, the governor issued a heartfelt public apology, expressing remorse to the Odinga family and the nation at large for his remarks.

“I want to sincerely apologise to our mourning nation — to the family of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, Mama Ida, her children Rosemary, Junior, and Winnie, Senator Oburu Oginga, Ruth Odinga, other siblings, the larger extended family, the ODM fraternity, the Luo nation, and Kenyans at large,” he said.

Kahiga acknowledged that his comments were inappropriate and deeply hurtful, saying they did not reflect his true feelings about the loss of a national leader.

His resignation follows mounting pressure from political leaders, civil society groups, and the public, who had called for his removal from the CoG leadership over what they described as “insensitive and divisive” remarks.

Raila Odinga, Kenya’s long-serving opposition leader and former Prime Minister, passed away on October 15, 2025, while receiving medical treatment in Kerala, India. His death has prompted a week of national mourning, with tributes pouring in from across the political divide.

Kahiga’s exit marks the latest political fallout stemming from reactions to Odinga’s passing, which has stirred deep emotions across the country.