Former Agriculture Minister Kipruto Arap Kirwa has stated that it was appropriate for former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua to keep off the funeral of the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.

Speaking during an interview on a local TV station on Tuesday, October 21, 2025, Kirwa said that Gachagua made the right decision by not attending the funeral events held in Nairobi and Bondo.

He explained that had Gachagua attended, his presence could have sparked backlash due to the political history between him and Raila. Kirwa noted that the warm reception given to former President Uhuru Kenyatta during the funeral was not simply because of his message during Raila’s burial but rather due to the long-standing political relationship and support he had shown to Raila, even campaigning for him during the 2022 general election.

“I think he did the right thing. I have not talked to him, but if I were to advise him, I would have told him not to attend; it would have been almost a backlash on him had he gone to the stadium,” Kirwa stated.

According to Kirwa, Uhuru’s relationship with Raila’s family was genuine, and his appearance at the funeral reflected that history. On the other hand, he argued that Gachagua’s attendance might have appeared insincere or politically motivated, given the current tensions between him and leaders aligned with the broad-based government.

“You see, the way Uhuru was received is not because of what Uhuru said after Raila passed on. It is because of the history they had with Raila, the fact that he so went out of his way to campaign for the leader of the official opposition and leave his own deputy president. And you’ve seen that Uhuru has demonstrated that he was genuine to the Raila family,” he added.

Advising Gachagua

Kirwa further advised that mourning with a family does not have to happen on the day of the funeral. He suggested that Gachagua could still visit Mama Ida Odinga privately at a later date to offer his condolences, emphasising that such a gesture would still be meaningful.

The remarks come after Gachagua was notably absent from both the state funeral service at Nyayo Stadium and the burial ceremony in Bondo. Instead, he used his social media platforms to convey his condolences to Raila Odinga’s family following the former prime minister’s death.

On the other side, PLP party leader Martha Karua has faulted the state for failing to recognise opposition leaders during the funeral service, saying that they ought to have being formally recognised