The National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) has summoned former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua to appear before it on August 27 at 2pm over a series of utterances made at public forums across the country. The summons, dated August 18, 2026, directs the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) leader to assist with ongoing investigations into what the commission describes as “various utterances” allegedly made on different dates.
NCIC Chief Executive Officer Daniel Mutegi Giti warned that failure to appear in person could trigger warrants of arrest and criminal or contempt proceedings. The notice states that non-compliance will lead to Gachagua’s arrest and production before the commission or the institution of legal action against him.
The summons follows a July 28 disclosure by NCIC that 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 over alleged hate speech and incitement. The commission has maintained 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 served as Deputy President from 2022 until his impeachment and removal from office in 2024. Since then, he has emerged as one of the most vocal critics of President William Ruto’s administration and now leads the DCP, positioning the party as part of a wider political realignment ahead of the 2027 General Election.
The latest summons revives an earlier dispute between Gachagua and NCIC. In July, after the commission announced its investigations, Gachagua accused it of being used to divert attention from remarks attributed to Duale, which he argued should have attracted similar scrutiny. He has previously challenged what he describes as selective enforcement, arguing that political leaders should be subjected to the same standards.
NCIC has recently warned political actors that constitutional freedoms do not permit incitement to violence, hate speech, or disorder. The commission’s intervention comes at a politically sensitive period, with parties and leaders intensifying campaigns ahead of the 2027 election. Gachagua’s political activities have increasingly centred on challenging the Ruto administration and mobilising support for his emerging alliance, drawing heightened scrutiny from government institutions and political opponents.
The former Deputy President has rejected allegations that his statements amount to hate speech, portraying the investigations as politically motivated. The August 27 appearance will put both Gachagua and NCIC in the spotlight, with the former 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.
