Salasya: I’m being punished for speaking out -

By Daisy Okiring

Mumias East MP Peter Salasya has strongly condemned the circumstances under which he was arrested, describing the ordeal as violent, chaotic, and completely unnecessary.

Addressing the media on Monday shortly after being freed from custody, Salasya accused law enforcement officers of using excessive force during his Friday arrest, claiming they shot at his car and forcefully disarmed his security detail without providing any justification.

“I was arrested like a robber or a murderer. They didn’t even explain what I had done. They just said they were from the DCI,” Salasya recounted, visibly shaken by the experience.

According to the legislator, the officers failed to provide any arrest warrant or clarify the charges before engaging in what he termed a “reckless ambush.” He emphasized that only divine intervention had prevented the incident from ending in tragedy.

“Bullets were flying. My vehicle was hit. Anyone could have died that day. We can’t normalize this level of lawlessness from state agencies,” he said.

The arrest is linked to a controversial post allegedly published on one of Salasya’s social media pages, which authorities claim amounts to hate speech. However, the MP denied authorship, explaining that he operates multiple accounts and cannot confirm who may have shared the content in question.

“I didn’t even know about the post. I manage several platforms and work with a team. The fact that I was dragged out of my car over something online is deeply worrying,” he stated.

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Salasya took the opportunity to call on the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to ensure that their officers are properly briefed and trained before executing such operations.

“This country is not a jungle. The DCI must be held accountable for how they treat elected leaders and citizens alike. Their agents should understand the law and follow due process—not terrorize people,” he added.

On Monday morning, Salasya appeared before the Milimani Magistrate’s Court, where he was formally charged with hate speech. He entered a plea of not guilty and was granted release on a bond of KSh500,000 or an alternative cash bail of KSh200,000.

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His arrest has ignited public debate on the increasing use of aggressive policing tactics and the apparent erosion of civil liberties, particularly around freedom of speech and political dissent.

As of publication, the DCI had not released an official statement regarding the arrest or the content of the investigation.