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MP Peter Salasya arrested, brought before court over alleged hate speech
Mumias East MP Peter Kalerwa Salasya was on Monday charged before a Nairobi court with hate speech.
The MP, who was arrested over the weekend, was accused of ‘stirring’ ethnic hatred between the Luo and Luhya communities by posts made on X (formerly Twitter), on May 10.
Mumias East MP Peter Salasya at the Milimani Law Courts on May 19, 2025.
The charge sheet stated that the MP intentionally published the words on his X handle, knowing that they were insulting, inciting and calculated to stir up ethnic hatred between the two communities.
MP Salasya was alleged to have published the following: “Luos are number one enemies of Luhya people. We must fight back this narrative of Luos or they sink us. They are in gvt but still fighting an innocent person. Ama tuwa****.”
The charge sheet stated that the offence was contrary to section 13(1)(b) and 13(2) of the National Cohesion and Integration Commission Act of 2008.
Salasya: I was arrested as if I'm a robber
Through his lawyers, the MP protested the manner in which he was arrested, claiming that his car was shot at and the officers who picked him up failed to identify themselves.
The court heard that Mr Salasya was taken to an undisclosed location before eventually being driven to Nairobi and held at Central Police Station.
Further, his defence team were denied access to the MP and his mobile phones were confiscated.
The lawyers also pleaded with the court to direct the police to reinstate his bodyguards.
The prosecution did not oppose the application for his release on bond.
The court directed the MP deposit a bond of Sh500,000 or alternative cash bail of Sh200,000 to secure his freedom.
The case will be mention on June 4.