The National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) has summoned Embakasi North MP James Gakuya to address remarks he made about the Somali community.
The commission’s statement, dated August 26, accuses Gakuya, an ally of Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, of making inflammatory comments in Kikuyu regarding Somalis who operate businesses in Nairobi’s Central Business District (CBD) and Eastleigh.
According to the NCIC, Gakuya claimed that Kikuyus had surrendered control of Nairobi CBD to Somalis, warning that this might lead to Somalis taking over the entire city and displacing Kikuyus.
In his comments, Gakuya, as quoted by NCIC, said, “What I can tell the Kikuyus is that giving properties in Nairobi CBD to those foreigners just because they are the highest bidders with pirate money they obtain from the ocean—will lead to them taking Nairobi from us.”
The lawmaker further asserted that Somalis have taken over Eastleigh, claiming that Kikuyus originally owned the apartments in these areas. He suggested that Kikuyus should only sell their plots to fellow Kikuyus, citing the presence of wealthy individuals within the community who are capable of purchasing these properties.
“When selling your properties in Nairobi, instruct brokers not to bring Somalis because our people are available and we don’t want outsiders buying these properties,” Gakuya said. He also criticized Somalis for not employing Kikuyus, contrasting this with Kikuyus who hire people regardless of their tribe.
“The Somalis don’t even employ kikuyus unlike us who employ everyone irrespective of tribe. These people buy the apartments and then fill them with Somalis,” he added.
Gakuya also highlighted that South C is now largely owned by Somalis, making it challenging to find homes owned by Kenyans in the area. He noted that despite their significant numbers in Nairobi, Kikuyus do not fully leverage their potential.
“In Nairobi, we have 1,200,000 registered voters, but only 700,000 actually cast their votes, raising questions about where the remaining votes go,” Gakuya claimed.
He further commented, “Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has been at the forefront of fighting for our people in Nairobi. Instead of voting for individuals who later turn against us, one of our own should consider running for that seat.”
Gakuya also alleged that apartments along the river in Gikomba were demolished because they were owned by Kikuyus, suggesting that if the owners had been from other tribes, the situation would have led to chaos. He mentioned that Deputy President Gachagua is not always aware of such actions because “instructions come from the top to others to carry out the work, making it difficult for him to object to these directives.”
The NCIC stated that Gakuya’s remarks could incite feelings of contempt, hatred, hostility, violence, or discrimination, which undermines harmonious coexistence among different ethnic groups in Kenya, violating Section 62(1)(a) of the National Cohesion and Integration Act.
MP Gakuya is scheduled to appear before the commission on Thursday, September 5, 2024, for an investigation into his comments.
“Please be advised that you are required to appear at the NCIC offices, Britam Towers, Upper Hill, 18th Floor, on Thursday, September 5, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. to assist the commission with the ongoing investigation,” the statement read in part.
