NCIC investigating Gachagua, Duale, Ruku and five other leaders over alleged hate speech

Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale. (Handout)

By Lucy Mumbi
Tuesday, July 28, 2026

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𝐄𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐥𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡 𝐕𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐭 𝐍𝐢𝐧𝐞 - Religious, cultural leaders warn politicians against dividing Kenyans

Zawadi Charity · 16 hours ago

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Omae said NCIC will work together with investigative agencies, including the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), National Police Service (NPS) and other relevant bodies to ensure that anyone found culpable faces action.

He urged Kenyans to formally report cases of alleged hate speech and incitement through complaints or petitions to allow the commission to investigate the matters.

The NCIC investigations come amid a political dispute between CS Duale and Gachagua over remarks made during an event in Lafey Constituency.

Duale denied claims that his Somali remarks were divisive, saying they had been taken out of context and misrepresented.

"I have been widely misquoted, and my remarks delivered in Lafey Constituency have been taken out of context to advance false and misleading narratives," he said.

He explained that the phrase "Waraabe la-tagis bartay, ka-ridis waa ku dhib," was a Somali proverb about ending long-established habits and was not directed at any community.

"It is a figurative expression about the difficulty of ending entrenched habits or long-enjoyed advantages. It was never directed at any community or intended to demean anyone," Duale said.

He added that his message focused on inclusivity and equal opportunities for all Kenyans, accusing critics of deliberately distorting his remarks.

"Attempts to portray my remarks as ethnic incitement are therefore dishonest and a deliberate distortion of what I said," he said.

Gachagua later criticised Duale, accusing him of acting as a government political messenger. "Duale does not speak on his own. Such harsh political rhetoric is choreographed."

NCIC later announced investigations into the allegations, saying, "NCIC acknowledges receipt of a complaint regarding alleged utterances by Duale. Our Investigations Department is conducting a thorough and impartial inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the said utterances," the commission said.

Speaking in Garissa, Duale challenged NCIC to also summon Gachagua, saying he would not appear before the commission first.

"I want to tell the NCIC that the day you are going to summon Gachagua is the day you are going to summon Duale. When the NCIC summons me, I must also be accompanied by Gachagua," he said.

He accused Gachagua of promoting ethnic division and questioned his criticism of Somali leaders serving in senior government positions.

"If there is one person who has consistently spread hate speech in this country, it is Gachagua. You do personal attacks on the personality and the character of the President," Duale said.