MP Salasya Charged with Hate Speech, Claims Political Victimisation Ahead of 2027 Bid
Mumias East Member of Parliament Peter Salasya has been formally charged with hate speech, a move he claims is politically motivated due to his early campaigns for the 2027 presidential elections.
Salasya appeared before Milimani Magistrate Paul Mutai on Monday and pleaded not guilty to accusations of publishing insulting comments on Facebook directed at members of a certain community. The alleged offence occurred on May 2, 2025.
The court released Salasya on a cash bail of KSh200,000 or an alternative bond of KSh500,000.
His legal team, led by lawyer Ken Echesa, has also filed an application for the return of his confiscated firearm and mobile phones, which were seized during what they termed a “dramatic and unlawful arrest.” The court is expected to make a ruling on June 4, with the investigating officer summoned to explain the circumstances surrounding the seizure of Salasya’s property.
Echesa revealed that Salasya’s arrest took place on the Isiolo-Nanyuki highway, where his vehicle was reportedly shot at before he was whisked to an undisclosed location and later booked at the Central Police Station in Nairobi.
According to the defence, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) is probing Salasya for publishing information deemed false and inciteful. However, they claim no specifics were provided by the authorities.
“This being a politically charged enterprise, we are prepared for any charge that the state will prefer against him,” Echesa told reporters outside the court.
Salasya has recently been touring various parts of the country in what he has called a mission to build national support for his presidential ambitions in 2027. He maintains that the charges are part of a broader effort to frustrate his political momentum.
In other news:Former Chief Justice Willy Mutunga and Kenyan Activists Detained, Deported from Tanzania
MP Salasya Charged with Hate Speech, Claims Political Victimisation Ahead of 2027 Bid