Raila Welcomed By Ruto, Gachagua At Mukami Kimathi Funeral

President William Ruto and Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, welcomed Azimio La Umoja leader, Raila Odinga, at the funeral service of Mau Mau veteran, Mukami Kimathi on Saturday, May 13.

Raila arrived at Mukami's home in Nyandarua almost an hour after Ruto's arrival and paid his respects by viewing the body of the late Dedan Kimathi widow.

Raila approached Gachagua and shook his hand before he moved to Ruto, who stood up and greeted him as well as gave him a pat on the shoulder.

Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga greets President William Ruto and DP Rigathi Gachagua while arriving at Mukami Kimathi's funeral in Nyandarua on Saturday, May 13, 2023. /CITIZEN TV

This aroused the attendees who broke into cheers as he took his seat, which grew louder to the point of temporarily disrupting the funeral.

Former Mungiki leader, Maina Njenga, also arrived at the event, minutes after Raila.

The face-to-face interaction between Raila and Ruto was the first since competing against each other in the August 9, 2022, general elections.

Gachagua on Sunday, May 7, while speaking during a memorial service of the late Mukami, revealed that Ruto would grace her burial and hinted at the possibility of a Raila-Ruto showdown.

“The President has directed that the government take over the burial preparations of Mukami to give her a decent send-off.

“Ruto himself has promised he will lead the nation on that day as we bury our freedom fighter,” Gachagua remarked.

His sentiments came after the former Prime Minister assured that he would be in attendance at the burial ceremony during his visit to Lee Funeral Home where her body was preserved.

While responding to Raila's assertion that he and Mukami were close friends and thus does not require any invitation to attend, Gachagua noted that everyone, including all leaders, is welcome.

“We have heard some people indicate that they want to attend the burial and we want to assure them that they are welcome.

“This burial will see a congregation of MauMau fighters who fought for independence and collaborators who helped colonisers take our land,” the DP announced.

Gachagua revealed that Mukami's burial would set the stage for discussions on land injustices, in what could be a tense affair between Raila, Gachagua and Ruto.

“The burial of Mukami, who was a freedom fighter, could kickstart a discussion about land ownership in Kenya.

“The Mau Mau fought for land but after independence, they did not get it. We would want to interrogate who benefitted from those lands and discuss what should be done going forward,” he animated the agenda during Mukami’s burial.