A Nairobi magistrate’s court has directed that the hate speech case against Mumias East MP Peter Salasya be referred to the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) for assessment before the matter proceeds to trial.
The directive follows a request by State Prosecutor Virginia Kariuki from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), who asked the court to allow NCIC to review the case and give recommendations on the way forward.
Senior Resident Magistrate Paul Mutai, who issued the directive, questioned whether involving the Commission at this stage might create a parallel process. However, the prosecution clarified that NCIC’s role would be advisory and limited to evaluating the case to guide the DPP, not to determine guilt.
“The offence in question involves alleged incitement of the public. The Commission’s role is purely advisory,” the prosecutor told the court.
Magistrate Mutai further challenged the prosecution to ensure that such consultations are done before arraigning accused persons in hate speech cases. “The DPP should ensure all avenues are explored before bringing a suspect to court,” he said.
The case will be mentioned again on November 11, 2025, for the prosecution to report on NCIC’s findings. If no progress has been made by then, the hearing will proceed.
MP Salasya was charged on May 19, 2025, with hate speech after allegedly making inflammatory remarks on social media targeting members of a particular community.
