NCIC Summons Gachagua,Otuoma Over Public Remarks.
The National Cohesion and Integration Commission has summoned former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and Busia Governor Paul Otuoma to answer for statements they allegedly made at separate public gatherings, cautioning both that non-appearance could trigger arrest warrants.
In notices dated August 18, the commission ordered Gachagua to report to its Upper Hill offices in Nairobi on August 27 at 2 pm while directing Otuoma to attend on August 21 at 10 am. Officials stressed that ignoring the summons would lead to warrants of arrest and possible criminal or contempt proceedings against them.
Investigators are examining comments attributed to Otuoma during a rally held at Bulanda Junction in Busia County on June 27. For Gachagua the focus covers several occasions, including remarks in Luanda, Vihiga County on June 12, statements at Gusii Stadium in Kisii County on February 23 that targeted a local member of parliament, and comments made during a tour of Meru between July 25 and 28. In Meru the former deputy president is said to have explained an earlier reference to “killing the snake and its eggs” as a call for voters to remove the president and his allies through the ballot, while also urging residents to act against leaders he claimed had betrayed the Mount the country community.
The commission’s latest actions form part of a broader effort to scrutinise political speech that may inflame community tensions. Just a day earlier the same body summoned Homa Bay Town MP Peter Kaluma over remarks linked to a rally that later turned violent, leaving two people dead and many injured. Kaluma has since written to the commission stating he cannot attend the original dates because of official commitments and has proposed appearing on August 28 instead.
Both Gachagua and Otuoma now face clear timelines and the prospect of formal questioning about the precise wording and context of their public comments. The commission has underlined that its mandate includes preventing speech capable of undermining national unity, and it has left little room for delay. “Take notice that failure to appear in person at the aforementioned place, date, and time, will lead to warrants of arrest being issued for your arrest and production before the Commission and/or the institution of criminal and/or contempt proceedings against you,” the official notice warned.
As the dates approach, attention will turn to whether the two leaders comply and how their responses shape the ongoing investigations. The summons highlight growing official sensitivity to the tone of political campaigning ahead of the next general election, with the commission signalling that repeated or serious breaches of cohesion rules will not be overlooked in the country.
