MP Kaguchia rejects NCIC directive, says he’ll apologise after court case

The legislator has pushed back against a ruling by the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC), with leaders allied to the Democratic Congress Party (DCP) backing him.

The leaders have accused the NCIC of bias and questioned the commission’s mandate to deal with the matter.

Hours after the NCIC directed Kaguchia to publicly apologise and withdraw remarks he made at a rally in Kieni on August 1, the legislator dismissed the directive, arguing that the matter is already before the courts.

“It is sub judice. You're discussing a matter already in court. Again, we call this double jeopardy whereby you're prosecuting one person in two areas. So I want to tell NCIC, the issues you have raised, we cannot delve into them until we have handled the matter in court,” Kaguchia said.

Speaking at Giathugu PCEA Church in Mukurwe-ini during the burial of his aunt, Mama Alice Wangui, Kaguchia accused the commission of selectively dealing with political leaders over utterances deemed offensive.

“We have many people who have done many things, who have said very bad things you don't touch. We have Kaluma, we have Wainaina of Eldoret, we have Duale, we have Hassan Omar,” he said.

The remarks came after the NCIC directed Kaguchia to withdraw the statements, issue a public apology and undertake not to repeat similar remarks.

The commission had found his utterances at the Kieni political gathering threatening, intimidatory and coercive.

Kaguchia has maintained that he will not comply with the directive until the court case is concluded.

DCP leaders also defended the legislator, saying he should not retract the remarks before the matter is heard in court.

“Sisi na mawakili wetu tumeambia huyu mheshimiwa Kaguchia, hapana retract hiyo maneno. Wacha tuende kortini mpaka tumalizane. Nyinyi NCIC, what you're doing is actually selective delivery of injustice,” Methu said.