The National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) has summoned Kimilili Member of Parliament Didmus Wekesa Barasa over alleged hate speech and discriminatory ethnic remarks made during a public address in Bungoma County. The commission launched an investigation into comments the lawmaker delivered on September 19, 2026, in Sirisia Constituency. In a video recording from the event, Barasa urged public officials from the former Western Province to use their state positions exclusively to benefit their local community. “Ukipatiwa nafasi kubwa kama ni PS, ama wewe ni waziri, kama wewe ni ambassador, kama wewe ni chairman ya parastatal, na wewe unatoka mkoa wa magharibi, wewe jua nafasi hiyo ni ya jamii. Umepewa utumie kuhakikisha maswala na maslahi ya wananchi hawa,” Barasa said. Loosely translated: (“If you are given a high position, whether as a Principal Secretary (PS), a Cabinet Secretary, an Ambassador, or a Parastatal Chairman, and you hail from the Western region, know that position belongs to the community. You have been given that role to ensure you serve the issues and interests of these citizens.”) The lawmaker went further, encouraging public officials to favor job seekers from Western Kenya while deliberately disqualifying qualified applicants from other ethnic backgrounds during interviews. “Hata ukiwa kwa ofisi na unafanya interview, na unakuta mtu ametoka huko...
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