Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei has formally requested the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) to investigate and prosecute former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua for statements he alleges amount to ethnic profiling and hate speech.

In a letter dated July 27, 2026, Cherargei pointed to remarks made by Gachagua during rallies, media interviews, and press briefings. The senator claims these statements unfairly associate the Kalenjin community with criminal activities, insecurity, and organised violence.

Legal Grounds for Petition

  • Article 27 of the Constitution, which prohibits discrimination on ethnic grounds
  • Article 33, which excludes hate speech and ethnic incitement from free speech protections
  • The National Cohesion and Integration Act, which criminalises speech likely to incite ethnic hatred

The petition highlights a specific incident following the alleged abduction of MP George Koimburi. Cherargei attached a video and transcript in which Gachagua claimed that the President, Interior Cabinet Secretary, and Deputy Inspector General of Police—identified as Kalenjin—had established a special squad targeting government critics. Gachagua is said to have alleged this unit comprised 20 officers from the Nandi community taking orders directly from the Deputy Inspector General.

Cherargei argued that regardless of the truth of these claims, linking such conduct to a particular ethnic community risks deepening ethnic suspicions and reinforcing negative stereotypes. He further noted that these remarks form part of a recurring pattern by Gachagua that revisits painful memories from the 2007/2008 post-election violence and casts the Kalenjin community in a negative light.

Call for Action

The senator urged the NCIC to review the original recordings, assess the context, and determine whether Gachagua’s statements violate the law. He requested the commission to proceed with investigation and prosecution if warranted.

Cherargei emphasized the importance of addressing such rhetoric ahead of the forthcoming General Election, warning that ethnically charged language has historically threatened Kenya’s peace during election periods.