The National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) on Tuesday summoned Embakasi North Member of Parliament James Gakuya for allegedly propagating ethnic discord.
NCIC in its summon letter, directed the the vocal legislator to avail himself at the commission headquarters located at Upper Hill in Nairobi on September 5, by 11 am to assist with investigations.
Gakuya is accused of reportedly making outrageous, provocative sentiments against the Somali ethnic group at a public gathering during a past event.
According to the Integration Commission, Gakuya’s remarks were likely to incite feelings of contempt, hatred, hostility, violence or even discrimination.
The commission noted the MP's sentiments contravened the constitutional provision for peaceful and harmonious coexistence of different ethnic groups in Kenya.
"Whereas that failure to appear in person at the aforementioned place, date, and time, is an offence as provided under Section 63(c) as read with Section 63(e) of the National Cohesion and Integration Act," the commission reiterated.
Gakuya's summoning comes hardly a month after the same commission petitioned Daadab MP Farah Maalim over allegations of making controversial remarks on the recent protests.
In the July 11 summon, the lawmaker was directed to present himself at the NCIC headquarters by 10 am to assist with investigations.
In the video which went viral, the legislator was heard allegedly stating that if he were the Kenyan President he would have clamped down on anti-government demonstrators.
“Farah Maalim is required to appear before the Commission to assist with the aforementioned ongoing investigations. Failure to appear in person at the said place, date, and time, is an offence as provided under Section 63 (c) as read with Section 63 (e) of the NCIC Act," read the statement in part.
According to the Commission, the sentiments were geared towards contempt, hatred, hostility, violence or discrimination.
However, despite the NCIC‘s summon, the legislator claimed that the video was doctored and that the comments were not his original remarks.
