NAIROBI, Kenya – The National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) has cautioned former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua over remarks he made in Meru County, warning President William Ruto against visiting the region if Chief Justice Martha Koome is removed from office.
In a statement on Monday, NCIC Chairperson Dr. Samuel Kobia said Gachagua’s comments, made at AIPCA Antubetwe Church, risk inciting ethnic animosity and undermining national unity.
The commission has officially written to Gachagua, urging him to exercise restraint in his public statements.
“You made utterances that are likely to undermine harmonious and peaceful co-existence of different ethnic communities within the republic,” Dr. Kobia said.
He further accused Gachagua of misleading the public by alleging that President Ruto was scheming to remove Chief Justice Koome due to her ethnicity.
According to the NCIC, such claims could fuel negative ethnic sentiments and deepen divisions in the country.
“Your statement warning the president not to set foot in Meru County if Chief Justice Martha Koome is removed from office is a direct violation of the president’s constitutional right as a symbol of national unity,” Dr. Kobia emphasized.
The National Cohesion and Integration Commission has issued a cessation notice to former Deputy President, E.G.H. Rigathi Gachagua, urging him to desist from making utterances that contravene the NCI Act No. 12 of 2008. We continue to urge all Kenyans to uphold tolerance and…
The commission has urged political leaders to be mindful of their words, warning that reckless rhetoric could inflame tensions and disrupt peace efforts.
Gachagua, a vocal critic of the Ruto administration, has not publicly responded to the NCIC’s concerns.
