Mumias East Member of Parliament Peter Kalerwa Salasya has denied allegations of hate speech after being arraigned before Milimani Principal Magistrate Paul K Mutai.
The legislator was charged with publishing offensive remarks on his social media account, allegedly stating that “Luos are the best enemies to the Luhya community.” The prosecution claims the statement, posted on his X (formerly Twitter) account, amounted to incitement and hate speech against the Luo community.
Salasya was arrested on Friday and detained at Central Police Station where he spent the entire weekend.
His legal team, led by advocates Ken Echesa and Eugene Wamalwa, told the court that the MP was held incommunicado and was not allowed to see his lawyers, family, or friends until he appeared in court.
“Your Honour, after our client was booked at Central Police Station, neither his lawyers, relatives, nor friends were allowed access to him,” said Echesa.
The defence also raised concerns over the confiscation of a firearm assigned to the MP’s bodyguard, requesting that it be returned.
Magistrate Mutai ordered that Salasya be released on a cash bail of Ksh 200,000 with one surety, or alternatively, a bond of Ksh 500,000.
The matter will be mentioned on June 4, 2025, for pre-trial directions.
