Labour Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua has publicly called on former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua to issue an apology to the Kamba community.

The demand follows Gachagua’s recent remarks in which he reportedly referred to Kambas as “cousins.”

CS Mutua, speaking in Nairobi on Tuesday, June 17, stated that Gachagua’s comments were disrespectful and condescending towards the Kamba people.

“It is an insult for anyone, especially a leader, to casually dismiss a whole community by referring to them as ‘cousins.’ This implies a sense of familial hierarchy and disrespects their unique identity and political standing,” Mutua asserted.

The Labour CS emphasized that the Kamba community is a distinct and proud ethnic group that deserves recognition and respect, not to be relegated to a subservient familial role by leaders from other regions.

He further urged Gachagua to retract his statement and offer a public apology to mend any perceived rifts caused by his remarks.

Gachagua’s comments have drawn mixed reactions, with some interpreting them as an attempt to foster a sense of unity or familiarity, while others, like Mutua, view them as demeaning and politically charged. The former Deputy President has yet to publicly respond to CS Mutua’s demands.

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