Kenya’s National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) has ordered Kimilili Member of Parliament Didmus Wekesa Barasa to appear before it next week following comments in which he called on leaders from western Kenya to prioritise their own community when filling public positions.
The summons, issued on September 22, relates to a speech Barasa delivered on September 19 in Sirisia Constituency, Bungoma County. In the address, the lawmaker argued that individuals from the former Western Province who hold senior government roles — including principal secretaries, cabinet secretaries, ambassadors and heads of state corporations — should treat those appointments as opportunities to advance the interests of people from their region.
Barasa went further, outlining how interview panels could favour applicants from western Kenya while rejecting candidates from other communities. He described a scenario in which a well-dressed, articulate job seeker from Nyeri named Kamau would be failed on grounds of lacking the “required demeanor,” while a candidate bearing names commonly associated with western Kenya — such as Wanyonyi, Nekesa or others — would be passed even if less polished. He suggested that failure to practise such favouritism was one reason the community continued to lag behind.
The NCIC is examining the statements under the National Cohesion and Integration Act, which prohibits hate speech and actions that undermine ethnic harmony. Barasa has been directed to present himself at the commission’s offices on the 17th floor of Britam Tower in Upper Hill, Nairobi, at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, September 29.
Officials cautioned that non-attendance could result in the issuance of arrest warrants.The episode has drawn attention to persistent debates in Kenya about the balance between merit-based recruitment and regional or ethnic considerations in public service. Barasa will be given an opportunity to respond to the allegations, submit evidence and make representations before the commission reaches a determination. The same day, the NCIC also summoned another legislator, Turkana South MP John Ariko, over separate public comments, underscoring the commission’s ongoing scrutiny of political rhetoric ahead of future elections.