The National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) has summoned Kimilili Member of Parliament Didmus Wekesa Barasa over remarks he allegedly made during a public address in Sirisia Constituency, Bungoma County, on September 19, 2026.
In a summons issued as part of an ongoing investigation, NCIC said Barasa is required to appear before the commission on September 29, 2026, at 10 am for a cohesion inquiry into the statements.
The commission said its mandate includes promoting national unity and peaceful relations among Kenya’s communities, particularly by addressing negative ethnicity, racism, religious intolerance and hate speech.
The summons quotes Barasa as discussing how leaders from the former Western Province should use appointments to senior government positions to advance the interests of people from the region.
He allegedly told leaders at the gathering that appointments to positions such as Cabinet secretary, principal secretary, ambassador or parastatal chairperson should be viewed as opportunities to serve the interests of their communities.
“Kama wewe ni waziri, kama wewe ni Ambassador, kama wewe ni chairman ya parastatal, na wewe unatoka mkoa wa zamani wa Magharibi wewe ujue nafasi hiyo ni ya jamii umepatiwa utumie kuhakikisha maswala na maslahi ya wananchi hawa kabisa.”
The MP then used a hypothetical recruitment scenario to illustrate what he described as preferential treatment for candidates from the Western region.
According to the NCIC summons, Barasa contrasted a candidate identified as “Kamau” from Nyeri with candidates bearing names associated with communities from Western Kenya.
He allegedly said an interview panel could reject the candidate from Nyeri by describing him as lacking the required “demeanor”, while a candidate from the region could be recommended despite shortcomings in appearance or English proficiency.
“Hiyo ndio maana sisi tunarudi nyuma kama jamii,” Barasa is quoted as concluding.
NCIC said the summons was issued under several provisions of the National Cohesion and Integration Act, including Sections 13 and 62, which deal with hate speech and ethnic or racial contempt respectively.
Section 13 of the Act makes threatening, abusive or insulting expression an offence where the speaker intends to stir up ethnic hatred, or where ethnic hatred is likely to be stirred up in the circumstances.
Section 62 provides separately that a person who utters words intended to incite contempt, hatred, hostility, violence or discrimination against a person, group or community on the basis of ethnicity or race commits an offence.
The summons does not establish that Barasa has committed an offence. It formally places the statements under investigation and allows the MP to answer the allegations before the commission decides.
NCIC expressly states that the inquiry will allow Barasa to “respond, adduce evidence and make any representations” that he wishes the commission to consider.
The inquiry is scheduled to take place at the commission’s offices on the 17th Floor of Britam Tower, Upper Hill, Nairobi.
NCIC’s summons makes clear that the September 19 remarks are being examined within the commission’s statutory mandate on national cohesion, ethnic relations and hate speech.
The commission is expected to consider Barasa’s response and other evidence before determining the next course of action.
