Mumias East MP Peter Salasya has condemned what he termed as the excessive use of force by police officers during his dramatic arrest last Friday over alleged hate speech.
Speaking in Limuru on Tuesday, the outspoken legislator claimed the arrest was politically motivated, pointing fingers at unnamed forces seeking to frustrate his rising political career.
Salasya was arraigned at the Milimani Law Courts on Monday where he denied charges of hate speech and incitement, and was released on a cash bail of Sh200,000 or a bond of Sh500,000.
He urged the Inspector General of Police and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to maintain the independence of their offices, despite being presidential appointees.
“We know the appointing authority is the President, but that is an independent office. No one should interfere,” he said. “These institutions are funded by public money and should not be used to intimidate citizens for exercising their oversight roles.”
The first-term MP was arrested along the Isiolo-Nanyuki highway while returning from political engagements in Meru and Isiolo counties. He alleged that heavily armed officers from the DCI ambushed his convoy, shot at his vehicle, and disarmed his security detail before detaining him.
“It was surprising to see a small child like me being confronted by over 10 heavily armed police officers. Do you mean you have no mercy?” he asked, questioning the force used during the arrest.
Salasya urged security agencies to draw lessons from similar controversial incidents, referencing alleged threats against Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya and recent claims by a former Deputy President.
Following his arrest, Salasya was detained at Nairobi Central Police Station and later charged with hate speech over a post made from one of his X (formerly Twitter) accounts. He pleaded not guilty and distanced himself from the post, saying he manages multiple accounts and could not confirm its origin.
Salasya, who on April 28 publicly declared his intention to run for the presidency in 2027, claimed the charges were designed to derail his political ambitions.
His lawyer, Ken Echesa, echoed the sentiment, dismissing the case as a fabrication.
