Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has blamed his delay in paying homage to the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga at Kang’o Ka Jaramogi on his spouse, Ida Odinga, for failing to give him a date on when he should visit the place.

While speaking during an interview with a local radio station on Wednesday, March 25, 2026, the DCP leader stated that he was ready and had even gathered elders for the journey to Bondo. However, when he asked the spouse of the late leader about the date he should visit, he was told to wait until today; she has never approved his condolence visit.

“I did call Mama Ida Odinga; I passed my personal condolences to her, and we placed a request that we would like to go to Bondo, and she said that things were quite heavy and that at an appropriate time she would give us an answer. We are still waiting,” he said.

Gachagua continued to express his disappointment, saying that there is no way an elder of his stature could visit someone’s home without approval from the homeowner, which is why he is still waiting for a date from Mama Ida to this day.

Gachagua’s absence

Gachagua also disclosed why he was visibly absent during Raila Odinga’s requiem mass at Nyayo Stadium, saying that he had planned to attend but got wind that some goons had been planted to harm him and create a perception of animosity between the Nyanza and Mount Kenya communities. According to Gachagua, he decided not to attend since he did not want to tarnish the funeral of the late leader.

On the burial day in Bondo as well, Gachagua stated that he had planned to go and pay his last respects but received information that a senior civil servant, whom he did not mention, had set up goons to injure him during the burial of the late Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader.

“I had planned to go to Nyayo Stadium during Raila Odinga’s event, but I received information that some goons had been planted to harm me and create friction between the Mt. Kenya and Luo Nyanza regions.

“As an experienced politician, I realized it was an important occasion for Raila Odinga and his supporters, and it would have been imprudent for me to appear as though I had brought chaos to the stadium,” he said.

Holding animosity with Luo

During the same sit-down, the former Deputy President dismissed any claims of bad blood between him and the Luo Nyanza community.

He stated that he holds no personal vendetta against the lakeside region and that the perception of hostility arose because he has always been on the opposing side of Raila in every election, leading to exchanges that may have created the impression that he hates the Luo Nyanza region.