Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) leader and former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.

📋 Breaking It Down

Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua now says he will not honour a summons to appear before the National Cohesion and Integration Commission on August 27, as he had been ordered to.

In summoning him, the NCIC on August 18 ordered the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) boss to appear before the commission on August 27 at 2pm, failing to which he would be forcibly sought by security agencies and delivered to honour the summons.

The commission said it was acting under Sections 27, 29 and 63C as read with 63E of the National Cohesion and Integration Act, which gives it the mandate to investigate conduct that undermines peaceful coexistence among communities.

📌 What You Need to Know

The NCIC issued a penal notice in the summons, warning that failure to appear "will lead to warrants of arrest being issued for your arrest and production before the Commission and/or the institution of criminal and/or contempt proceedings against you”.

According to the summons, NCIC is focusing on speeches that Mr Gachagua had allegedly made at various political stops dating back to July 2026, including allegedly warning that he would cause snakes to be killed alongside their eggs in 2027.

Also Read:  NCIC summons Gachagua over ‘snake and eggs’ speech

He is said to have uttered the suspect statements in Vihiga, Kisii and Meru counties. Attached to the summons are transcripts of the remarks, to which he is wanted to provide an explanation on the intent, context and impact of the suspected statements.

Now, Mr Gachagua's lawyers have written to the NCIC saying the date he was required to show up for interrogation coincides with an already planned foreign trip.

In a letter to NCIC Chief Executive Dr Daniel Giti, who had signed the summons letter, dated August 20, Gachagua, through Kiragu Wathuta & Company Advocates, says he will be out of the country between August 26 and October 20 on a pre-planned and widely publicised trip that was arranged before the summons were issued.

📰 Source: Nation Africa