Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has accused the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) of being used to divert public attention from controversial remarks made by Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale over reported hate speech and selective investigations.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, July 28, 2026, Gachagua claimed that Duale had made offensive remarks targeting the Mt. Kenya community and argued that the commission's subsequent move to mention him in its investigations was politically motivated.
“Mr. Aden Duale, sent by his master William Ruto, made a scathing attack on the people from Mt. Kenya, calling them hyenas,” Gachagua said, adding that the remarks had sparked public outrage and become a political liability for the government.
The former deputy president said Duale had initially been summoned by the NCIC to explain his remarks but later maintained that he would only honour the summons if Gachagua was also investigated over allegations of tribal remarks and hate speech.
According to Gachagua, the commission's decision to pursue him was intended to shift public attention away from the backlash surrounding Duale's comments.
“To deflect attention from the outrage his remarks have caused, the NCIC has been directed to purport to investigate Rigathi Gachagua,” he said.
Gachagua also questioned the independence of the cohesion commission, alleging that it was operating under government influence rather than carrying out its constitutional mandate impartially.
“The NCIC has become an appendage of the Government and not the independent commission that it ought to be,” he stated.
The remarks come amid heightened political debate over alleged hate speech and ethnic rhetoric as the country moves closer to the 2027 General Election.
