NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 2 — A Nairobi court has allowed the withdrawal of a hate speech case against Mumias East MP Peter Salasya after confirming that he fully complied with court-ordered reconciliation and peace measures.
The case, filed by the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC), was formally dropped Monday following Salasya’s public apology and completion of a nationwide peace and cohesion campaign, as directed by the court.
Salasya described the decision as a major legal and political milestone.
“I want to thank the courts for withdrawing my case after complying with the court’s order or instruction that they gave me in terms of addressing issues that they had instructed me to do,” he said following the ruling on Monday.
“This is a major boost politically as the first leader in Kenya to have a case withdrawn on the basis of compliance. It shows that no one is above the law and everyone must abide by it.”
He added that the outcome demonstrates how disputes could be resolved outside lengthy court processes if parties comply with legal directives, saving judicial time and promoting harmony.
On January 19, a Nairobi court directed Salasya to issue a public apology and conduct a social media peace campaign before considering the withdrawal of the hate speech charges.
The case was brought under Section 87A of the Criminal Procedure Code following a conciliation agreement between Salasya and NCIC.
Initially, Senior Resident Magistrate Paul Mutai declined to adopt the agreement, citing lack of proof of compliance.
The court later ordered Salasya and NCIC to hold a well-publicized joint press conference within 14 days, where the MP would publicly apologize.
He was also required to run online campaigns promoting peace, national cohesion, and integration, and submit evidence of compliance.
After confirming that these conditions had been met, the court approved the conciliation agreement and allowed the withdrawal of charges.
Following the ruling, Salasya urged Kenyan leaders to reject tribal politics and embrace unity ahead of the 2027 general election.
“We have over 42 tribes in this nation. Any misstep could prevent people from living together for another thousand years,” he said.
“As leaders, we must bring people together. Kenyans should be judged on ideas, qualifications, and vision—not tribe or clan. I am committed to speaking about unity across the country as we head towards 2027.”
Salasya was charged in May 2025 over alleged inflammatory social media remarks targeting members of a specific community.
In October 2025, the court referred the matter to NCIC for assessment, noting that the commission’s role is advisory and focused on national cohesion, rather than determining guilt or innocence.
