NAIROBI, Kenya Jan 8 – The National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) has dismissed reports circulating on social media claiming it had summoned Democracy for Citizens Party leader and former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua over alleged inflammatory statements.
In a statement, the commission described the claims as false, clarifying that no administrative or legal action has so far been taken against Gachagua, despite public petitions and formal complaints calling for its intervention.
However, while denying that a summons had been issued, the NCIC stopped short of commenting on whether Gachagua’s remarks could amount to hate speech or warrant further investigation, leaving open questions about possible future action.
The clarification comes amid mounting controversy following remarks Gachagua made during a Sunday church service at AIPCA Kiratina Church in Kiambu County last Sunday.
During the address, Gachagua allegedly linked Kenyan businesses and members of the Somali community to a fraud scandal in Minnesota, United States.
The complaint, lodged by MMA Advocates on behalf of the owners of Business Bay Square (BBS Mall) in Eastleigh, calls on the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) to investigate, censure, and, where necessary, prosecute Gachagua for statements that may undermine national unity.
According to the letter, Gachagua, speaking at AIPCA Kiratina Church on January 4, 2026, alleged that funds stolen in the United States were brought to Kenya and used to build commercial properties, including a mall in Eastleigh.
The lawyer representing the mall’s proprietors said the remarks explicitly linked the Somali community and identifiable businesses to criminal conduct without evidence.
“Any reasonable person listening to or reading these remarks would understand them as targeting Business Bay Square and, by extension, the Somali community,” the letter reads.
“Such statements stigmatize law-abiding citizens, damage lawful businesses, and undermine national cohesion.”
The letter cites the National Cohesion and Integration Act, which criminalizes the use of abusive, threatening, or insulting words intended to stir ethnic hatred.
