Mumias East MP Peter Salasya arrives at Milimani Law Courts under tight security on May 19, 2025/EZEKIEL AMING'A
Mumias East MP Peter Salasya has criticised the manner in which police officers arrested him on Friday, accusing them of using excessive force and lacking clarity on the grounds for his arrest.
Speaking to journalists on Monday after being released from police custody, Salasya described the incident as reckless and dangerous, claiming that officers shot at his vehicle and disarmed his security team without explanation.
“The officers who came to arrest me didn’t even know why they had been sent. They just said they were from the DCI,” said Salasya.
“They fired at our vehicle. It could have easily turned into something tragic. It’s only by the grace of God that no one was hurt.”
The MP was arrested in connection with a hate speech allegation linked to a post allegedly made on one of his social media accounts. However, Salasya distanced himself from the post, arguing that he manages multiple accounts and could not confirm its origin.
“I was arrested as if I’m a robber or a murderer—just because of something written on social media. I don’t even know who posted it,” he said.
Salasya called on the Directorate of Criminal Investigations to properly brief officers before dispatching them, warning that poor communication and overzealous tactics risk violating human rights and escalating tensions.
“The DCI leadership must ensure their juniors understand what they’re doing. We cannot continue to live in a country where people are harassed and intimidated by government agencies,” he added.
Following his arrest, Salasya was arraigned at the Milimani Magistrate’s Court on Monday morning, where he was charged with hate speech.
He pleaded not guilty and was released on a Sh500,000 bond or an alternative cash bail of Sh200,000.
His arrest and the circumstances surrounding it have sparked fresh debate about the use of force by police and the growing concern over freedom of expression and political harassment in the country.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations is yet to issue
an official statement regarding the arrest.
