NCIC summons Gachagua over public utterances, warns of arrest

NAIROBI,Kenya Aug 18 – The National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) has summoned former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua to appear before it over a series of utterances made at different public forums.

In a summons dated August 18, 2026, NCIC directed Gachagua to appear before the commission on Thursday, August 27, at 2pm to assist with ongoing investigations.

The commission said it was investigating “various utterances” allegedly made by Gachagua on different dates and at different public forums across the country.

NCIC Chief Executive Officer Daniel Mutegi Giti warned the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) leader that failure to appear in person could trigger further legal action.

“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 notice states.

The summons come barely three weeks after NCIC publicly disclosed that Gachagua was among several prominent political figures under investigation over alleged hate speech and incitement.

On July 28, the commission said it had opened investigations into Gachagua alongside Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale, Public Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku, Busia Governor Paul Otuoma and other political leaders.

The commission’s intervention comes at a politically sensitive period, with parties and political leaders already intensifying their campaigns ahead of the 2027 General Election.

NCIC has previously maintained that it assesses potentially inflammatory remarks by considering their context, intent and likely impact, particularly where statements could heighten ethnic tensions or undermine peaceful coexistence.

Gachagua, who served as Deputy President from 2022 until his impeachment and removal from office in 2024, has since emerged as one of the most vocal critics of President William Ruto’s administration. He now leads DCP and has been positioning the party as part of a wider political realignment ahead of 2027.

The latest summons also revive an earlier dispute between Gachagua and NCIC over the commission’s investigations.

In July, after NCIC announced that it was investigating him, Gachagua accused the commission of being used to divert attention from remarks attributed to Duale, which he argued should also have attracted scrutiny.

Gachagua has previously challenged the commission’s approach to what he describes as selective enforcement, arguing that political leaders should be subjected to the same standards.

The summons also come against the backdrop of growing concern over political intolerance and inflammatory rhetoric in the country. NCIC has recently warned political actors that constitutional freedoms do not permit incitement to violence, hate speech or disorder.

Gachagua’s political activities have increasingly centred on challenging the Ruto administration and mobilising support for his emerging political alliance. His public rallies and statements have consequently attracted heightened scrutiny from government institutions and political opponents.

The former Deputy President has, however, previously rejected allegations that his political statements amount to hate speech, portraying the investigations against him as politically motivated.

The August 27 appearance will therefore put both Gachagua and NCIC in the spotlight, with the former Deputy President required to respond to the statements under investigation and the commission under pressure to demonstrate that its action is grounded in evidence and applied consistently across the political divide.

The summons specifically require Gachagua to appear in person, with NCIC warning that failure to do so could result in arrest warrants and possible criminal or contempt proceedings.