Kikuyu elders visit Raila’s grave as ex-DP Rigathi Gachagua Banned from Bondo

A delegation of Kikuyu elders led by Ndia Member of Parliament George Kariuki on Wednesday, October 22, 2025, visited the grave of the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga at his Opoda Farm home in Bondo, Siaya County. At the same time, he Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has issued a stern warning to former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, cautioning him against visiting Bondo in Siaya County — the hometown of the late opposition leader Raila Odinga. The warning follows remarks made by Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga, which ODM leaders have described as divisive and disrespectful in light of the nation’s ongoing mourning period. Speaking to reporters in Kisumu on Wednesday, ODM Kisumu Deputy Chairperson Seth Kanga who also doubles up as Assembly Whip said the party would not welcome Gachagua’s planned visit to the Nyanza region, citing what he termed as “unfriendly sentiments” towards ODM and its leadership. Speaking during the emotional visit in Bondo, MP Kariuki said the trip was a gesture of solidarity, respect, and national unity following the passing of a man he described as “a towering figure who shaped Kenya’s democracy.” “We have come to offer our sincerest condolences to Mama Ida Odinga and the Odinga family. I am joined by senior elders representing all counties from the Central region,” said Kariuki, who also chairs the Parliamentary Committee on Roads and Transport. The group, comprising elders from Nyandarua, Nyeri, Murang’a, Kiambu, Laikipia, Nakuru, Nairobi, Kirinyaga, Lamu, and the Kikuyu diaspora, made the journey to personally honour the late ODM leader in keeping with Kikuyu cultural traditions. According to MP Kariuki, although he attended Raila’s state funeral, the elders felt compelled to pay their respects separately, as tradition demands that elders personally visit the bereaved to express condolences. “I was present at the state funeral, but our customs require elders to personally visit the family of the departed. During the funeral, time was limited, so we planned this trip to offer a dignified and meaningful farewell to Raila,” he explained. The delegation laid a wreath and held a moment of silence at Raila’s grave before presenting nine bulls to Mama Ida Odinga and her family — a symbolic Kikuyu gesture of mourning and solidarity. Raila Odinga was not just a Luo leader or a political figure; he was a national icon whose ideals of justice, democracy, and unity inspired millions of Kenyans. His legacy belongs to all of us,” Kariuki said. The elders’ visit comes just a day after Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga sparked widespread outrage over remarks that appeared to celebrate Raila’s death, calling it a divine act that “levelled the political field.” Kariuki, while not mentioning Kahiga directly, said the visit was meant to reaffirm the Kikuyu community’s respect for Raila and its belief in unity across all ethnic lines. “As elders, we believe this gesture reinforces the truth that Kenya is one family. “In honouring Raila Odinga, we honour the spirit of togetherness and the ideals that unite our nation,” Kariuki said.