Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, leader of the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP), has challenged the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) to summon him, dismissing allegations that his recent public statements constituted hate speech.
Speaking on Monday in Buuri, Meru County, Gachagua defended his controversial remarks regarding political rivals, insisting his words were purely figurative rather than an incitement to violence. He specifically responded to criticism from Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen and other state allies who called on the NCIC to investigate his phrasing.
Addressing the crowd, Gachagua clarified his statement: “Jana nimesema ya kwamba tutauwa nyoka pamoja na mayai. Nimeona huyu Murkomen ati anasukuma watu wa NCIC ati waulize sisi kwa nini tunasema hivyo. Sisi tuseme hatuna hatespeech, sisi tunatumia figurative language kwa sababu sisi ni wanafunzi wa literature. Kumuuwa nyoka ni kufukuza William Ruto kwa kura, kuuwa mayai ni kufukuza wafuasi wake wote kwa kura. That is what we mean.”
Translated: (Yesterday I said we will kill the snake together with the eggs. I have seen Murkomen pushing NCIC people to ask us why we say this. Let us say we have no hate speech; we use figurative language because we are students of literature. Killing the snake means voting out William Ruto; killing the eggs means voting out all his followers. That is what we mean.)
Daring the anti-hate speech watchdog to issue a formal summons, the DCP leader framed his rhetoric as a traditional and legitimate political style.
“So NCIC kama mnataka explanation mniandikie barua naeza jibu nyinyi that we speak in figurative language. Sisi tunasema kuuwa nyoka ni kufukuza William Ruto kwa kura, kuuwa nyoka pamoja na mayai ni kufukuza wale wote ambao wanatembea na Ruto kupitia kura kwa sababu sisi we speak in proverbs, we speak in symbolism and figurative language for effective communication,” he stated.
English translation: (So NCIC, if you want an explanation, write me a letter and I can respond to you that we speak in figurative language. We say killing the snake means voting out William Ruto; killing the snake together with the eggs means voting out all those who walk with Ruto through the vote, because we speak in proverbs, we speak in symbolism and figurative language for effective communication.)
Gachagua’s bold stance follows the NCIC’s announcement, made jointly with the Inter-Religious Council of Kenya (IRCK) on Tuesday, that it is currently investigating ten high-profile individuals, including Gachagua and two sitting Cabinet Secretaries, over alleged hate speech and ethnic incitement ahead of the 2027 General Election.
The commission reiterated that no political figure enjoys immunity from legal accountability.
Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei has also formally petitioned the NCIC to investigate and prosecute the former Deputy President for alleged ethnic profiling.
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