Mombasa Governor Abdullswamad Sherrif Nassir has hit out at the United Opposition, led by former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, claiming the group is obsessively dragging ODM leader Raila Odinga’s name into their political campaigns.
Speaking in Mombasa, Nassir condemned remarks made by Gachagua during a rally in Ukambani on Monday, where he dismissed claims linking him and Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka to Raila’s reported health issues.
“I have seen somebody talking about bacteria and virus,” Nassir said.
“I just want to plead with them, in good faith, please let the name of Raila Amollo Odinga stay out of your mouth.”
The governor said Gachagua and his allies have no political standing to challenge Raila, a veteran opposition figure with decades of political and reformist struggle under his belt.
“He is not at your level,” Nassir declared.
“Whatever Raila has done for this country — even if it’s just a little — you cannot match. Stop talking about him.”
He added that the opposition should move beyond fixating on Raila, reminding Kenyans that it was Raila who rejected opportunities to stoke chaos in the country, choosing instead the path of peace.
“It cannot be every day, Raila this, Raila that," Nassir said.
The governor lauded Raila’s legacy as a freedom fighter who endured jail time, beatings, and tear gas in the struggle for democratic freedoms, saying, “Everybody must know their level.”
The war of words escalated after Gachagua denied responsibility for any reported health concerns facing Raila, stating sarcastically, “Neither Kalonzo nor I are a bacteria or a virus to cause illness to anyone.”
Gachagua added that he and his allies wish Raila good health so that both he and President William Ruto can face them in the 2027 general elections. “We want both of them on the ballot so we can send them home,” he said.
The remarks came in response to an October 5 statement by ODM,
accusing Gachagua's faction of spreading false information about Raila's health
— including unverified claims that Raila had traveled to Europe for medical
treatment.
In the same political storm, Kalonzo’s Wiper party distanced itself from the controversy and fired back at ODM, accusing the party of hypocrisy.
Wiper leaders demanded ODM stop dragging Kalonzo’s name into Raila’s health matters, arguing that ODM was guilty of the very behaviour it was condemning.
“ODM should focus on resolving its internal problems with Kenya Kwanza instead of projecting blame onto others,” read a statement from the Wiper Party.
