Hate speech case pushes Salasya into peace mission

Mumias East MP Peter Salasya has started peace campaigns as directed by a Nairobi court as part of settlement in his ongoing hate speech case.

The peace campaign will be conducted under the guidance of the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC).

Salasya said his mission starts “with humility and sincerity”, stressing that “peace is not an abstract idea. It is what allows parents to work, children to learn, and communities to grow without fear”.

The MP acknowledged that disagreements are normal in any living democracy and citizens hold different opinions and frustrations.

He however warned that giving in to anger can harm communities.

“When anger takes over, we end up hurting the very people we claim to fight for. Violence destroys small businesses, scares away opportunity and leaves families broken long after the noise has faded,” Salasya said.

He said, “peace does not mean silence. It does not mean surrender. It means choosing dialogue over destruction, restraint over rage and wisdom over impulse.”

As part of his campaign, the MP will travel across the country to remind citizens that “nothing good grows where there is chaos”.

“Development needs calm. Justice needs patience. The future needs stability. Kenya is our only home and peace is our shared responsibility,” he said.

Salasya was directed by a Nairobi court to publicly apologise and participate in a peace and cohesion campaign as part of a settlement agreement in his ongoing hate speech case.

The ruling came during a session on January 19, where the court emphasised that key conditions of the agreement with the NCIC had yet to be implemented.

The case arose from statements Salasya is alleged to have made during political engagements in Meru and Isiolo counties, as well as along a travel route towards Nanyuki.

Prosecution told the court that the remarks amounted to hate speech, contrary to the law.

Earlier, the prosecution had sought the intervention of the commission to explore dialogue and reconciliation between the MP and the public.

Salasya, who denied the charges, is out on a Sh200,000 cash bail.

During Monday’s hearing, the court said while the parties had entered into a conciliation agreement, compliance with certain directives outlined in the deal had not been demonstrated.

Senior Resident Magistrate Paul Mutai said the agreement required Salasya to hold a joint press conference with the NCIC, publicly issuing an apology and advocating for national peace and cohesion.

The court declined to immediately adopt the settlement, emphasising that the MP must first comply with the agreed-upon terms.

“Before or upon the execution of this agreement, the parties shall jointly hold a well-publicised press conference at a venue and place to be communicated by the commission, in which the respondent shall communicate in public his apology,” the magistrate said.

 “I will not adopt this agreement immediately because these are things you willingly agreed to do. I will give you a chance to go do it and provide evidence that it has been done since the accused signed.”

The court further directed Salasya to participate in a social media campaign aimed at promoting peace, cohesion and integration across the country.

Evidence of these activities must be submitted within 14 days from the date of the ruling.

The magistrate emphasised that adherence to these conditions is crucial to ensure the settlement serves its purpose of reconciliation and public accountability.

NCIC had earlier facilitated the conciliation, bringing both parties together to resolve the matter amicably.

However, the alternative dispute resolution process faced the risk of collapsing after the terms of the NCIC commissioners expired before conciliation talks could start.

According to a previous gazette notice, there were impending vacancies in the membership of the commission arising from the anticipated expiry of the six-year non-renewable term of office of the current members with effect from November 17 last year.