{
  "id": 733167,
  "title": "Kisumu Bunge La Wananchi Accuses Gachagua of Politicising Raila’s Death",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/13/kisumu-bunge-la-wananchi-accuses-gachagua-of-politicising-railas-death",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-13T04:40:10.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Capital FM Kenya",
    "slug": "capital-fm-kenya",
    "url": "https://capitalfm.africa/kisumu-bunge-la-wananchi-accuses-gachagua-of-politicising-railas-death/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Kisumu County Bunge La Wananchi, a local government body in Kenya, has accused former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua of exploiting the death of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga for political gain. The Bunge urged Gachagua to respect Raila's legacy and stop using the occasion to stir political discussions among Kenyans. Odinga passed away in October of the previous year while receiving medical treatment in India, leaving a significant void in the nation's political landscape, particularly among the Luo community in the Nyanza region.\n\nBunge chairman Salim Onyango specifically criticized Gachagua for politicizing Odinga's death with the aim of influencing the political direction of the Luo community ahead of the 2027 General Election. Onyango stated that Gachagua was seeking to exploit emotions surrounding Odinga's passing to weaken the Luo community's support for President William Ruto. He emphasized that Raila's death should not be used as a campaign tool and called on politicians to abstain from discussing the late opposition leader's legacy and family in political matters.\n\nAnother Bunge member, Evans Ofula, accused Gachagua of seeking publicity by repeatedly raising questions about the circumstances surrounding Odinga's death. Ofula highlighted the disappointment of Kisumu residents, who had long supported President Ruto, and warned politicians against reopening wounds in the hearts of Odinga's supporters. Caroline Olwande, representing women in the Bunge, expressed concern over the unnecessary pain caused to Odinga's family whenever politicians invoked his name for political purposes.\n\nThe Bunge also welcomed President Ruto's proposal for a Vision 2060 development framework, viewing it as an opportunity for Kenya to plan for the future beyond the current generation. Onyango cautioned that Kenya should learn from the challenges faced in implementing Vision 2030 and work together to ensure the success of the new long-term development plan. The Bunge requested a meeting with President Ruto at State House to discuss development, national unity, and the country's growth.",
  "summary": "Bunge chairman Salim Onyango accused Gachagua of politicising Raila’s death in an attempt to influence the political direction of the Luo community ahead of the 2027 General Election.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}