Tension has emerged within the political circles of the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) after Kenyans were reminded that Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga — who recently made controversial remarks celebrating the death of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga — is a close ally of President William Ruto.
According to High Court advocate Wahome Thuku, Kahiga’s comments should be treated as his personal opinion and not as an official position from President Ruto or the Mt Kenya leadership.
Thuku noted that Kahiga, a UDA governor and Vice Chair of the Council of Governors (CoG), has consistently praised Ruto in the past but should now take full responsibility for his divisive utterances.
“Please take Kahiga's words as his own and deal with him as the Nyeri Governor elected on a UDA ticket and Vice Chair of the Council of Governors,” Thuku said in a statement posted on Facebook.
He added that whenever Kahiga praises Ruto, Kikuyus always clarify that he speaks for himself — not for the entire Mt Kenya region.
“Even now, he spoke for himself,” Thuku stressed, admitting that the governor’s comments were unfortunate and had angered many Kenyans.
The advocate’s remarks come amid reports of quiet discomfort within the ruling party, with insiders suggesting that Kahiga’s statement may have strained relations between him and senior UDA officials.
Political observers say the controversy could force the president to distance himself from the governor as the party moves to contain public outrage and protect its image ahead of the 2027 general elections.
As Kenyans continue to demand accountability, the fallout between Ruto and Kahiga could signal deeper cracks within Mt Kenya’s political unity under the UDA banner.
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