Nairobi — The National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) has revealed that former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua failed to honour its summons, further escalating tensions between him and the agency.
Documents presented before the National Assembly Committee on Administration and Internal Security indicate that Gachagua was among six individuals summoned over alleged hate speech since January 2025.
Others included Webuye West MP Dan Wanyama, activist Calvince Okoth, alias Gaucho, and Starehe MP Amos Mwago, who is accused of ethnic discrimination.
However, only Mwago and Sanjeev Kumar appeared before the commission, while Gachagua, Wanyama, and Jerotich Kipkoris, alias Marakwet Daughter, ignored the summons.
The development comes weeks after NCIC censured Gachagua for allegedly making inciteful remarks, including threats to remove Chief Justice Martha Koome from office.
NCIC is currently handling 53 cases related to hate speech and ethnic contempt, with 32 under active investigation. Among those under scrutiny are Gachagua, MPs Wanyama and Bernard Kitur (Nandi Hills), as well as Kipkateny Ward MCA Joan Kirong.
Budget Constraints
The commission is now seeking an additional Sh600 million to monitor and curb hate speech, particularly on social media.
NCIC officials expressed concerns over the heightened political atmosphere, stressing the urgent need for more resources to combat inflammatory rhetoric.
NCIC Chief Executive Officer Humphrey Kariuki noted that while the commission was allocated Sh567 million in the current financial year, it lacked sufficient funds for active investigations, digital monitoring, and awareness campaigns.
Commissioner Abdulaziz Ali Farah lamented that most of NCIC's budget covered operational costs such as salaries and rent, leaving little for enforcement.
"The country is already in campaign mode, and we need a converged approach to contain cases of hate speech. Right now, we are mostly funded to sit in offices, not to implement our mandate," Farah stated.
Commissioner Danvas Makori revealed that NCIC was developing open-source software to monitor online hate speech. He dismissed claims that the commission was ineffective, arguing that funding constraints had limited its impact.
"There is a perception that NCIC is not doing much, yet we have achieved a lot despite our challenges. We urge the committee to fund us so we can de-escalate conflicts before they erupt," he said.
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Committee Vice Chair Dido Rasso questioned whether NCIC had the capacity to address the growing challenge of online hate speech.
"Your ability to monitor social media is the elephant in the room. Have you engaged the National Police Service on this?" he asked.
Laikipia North MP Sarah Korere criticized the commission's silence when Gachagua made divisive remarks about political shareholding in government.
"When someone was lecturing everyone about shares in government, the commission was quiet. I was waiting to hear from you... You need to be more vocal," she said.
Homa Bay Town MP Peter Kaluma, who had previously called for NCIC's disbandment, changed his stance and urged the commission to conduct an ethnic audit of public service appointments. He argued that ensuring fairness in government jobs would help reduce ethnic tensions before the 2027 elections.
"If we do not start preparing for 2027, we risk seeing violence worse than what happened in 2007/2008," he warned.
Committee Chairperson Gabriel Tongoyo assured NCIC that the committee would review its budget request in the next cycle to enhance its investigative capacity, curb hate speech on digital platforms, and launch new awareness campaigns to promote national unity ahead of the 2027 elections.
