IN SHORT: According to a statement circulating online, former Kenyan deputy president Rigathi Gachagua hasn’t visited the family of the late Raila Odinga because the two politicians were not friends. But the statement is fake and should be ignored.
On 6 November 2025, Kenyan opposition politician Kalonzo Musyoka visited the home of the country’s former prime minister, Raila Odinga.
Odinga died on 15 October while receiving medical treatment in India and was buried on 19 October at his home in Bondo, a town in Siaya county in western Kenya.
During the visit, questions arose on social media about why his opposition counterpart and former deputy president Rigathi Gachagua did not join him. Hours later, a statement seemingly explaining why he missed the event went viral.
The statement, dated 6 November, features Gachagua’s Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) logo and carries the title: “CLARIFICATION ON HE RIGATHI GACHAGUA'S ABSENCE FROM THE VISIT TO THE LATE RT. HON. RAILA AMOLO ODINGA HOME IN BONDO.”
“We wish to clarify that HE Gachagua had not made any plans or commitments to attend the ceremony. Such occasions are deeply personal and are traditionally attended by friends, political allies, and those who shared a working relationship with the departed,” the statement reads.
It adds that “it is important to note that Raila Odinga and Rigathi Gachagua were not political friends”, claiming that it was “Raila Odinga, together with President William Ruto, who played a central role in Gachagua's removal from office in October 2024”.
The statement further claims that it would be “insincere and hypocritical” for Gachagua to attend the ceremony merely for publicity. It further asserts that he is not pursuing any national political office and that his focus remains within the Mount Kenya region.
Gachagua served as deputy president from 2022 until his impeachment in October 2024, following a fallout with president William Ruto.
The Mount Kenya region refers to the areas around central Kenya, traditionally inhabited by the Kikuyu, Embu and Meru communities. Gachagua hails from the region and strives to be recognised as its de facto leader.
Ruto and Odinga had long been political rivals. But in March 2025, they reconciled and signed a memorandum of understanding, paving the way for closer collaboration. Gachagua has remained a staunch critic of both.
But is the statement genuine? We checked.
Fake statement
The DCP party often publishes such statements on its social media accounts, including Facebook and X. We searched their accounts for the circulating statement and came up empty.
Similarly, no such statement was posted on Gachagua’s official Facebook and X pages, where he frequently shares updates about his engagements.
Local news outlets closely follow Gachagua’s political remarks and report on him extensively. Had he actually made this statement regarding Odinga and his political plans, credible outlets would’ve reported it. But we found no reliable reports supporting the claim.
All indications suggest that the statement is fake and should be disregarded.
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