Written By Lisa Murimi
Dadaab MP Farah Maalim, under intense scrutiny, failed to appear before the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) on Thursday to address his controversial comments regarding recent protests against the Finance Bill 2024.
Speaking in Somali, Maalim allegedly made inflammatory remarks, sparking outrage across Kenya. The NCIC summoned him to clarify a statement where he purportedly claimed he would “slaughter 5,000 Gen Z protesters” if he were president.
The comments, deemed highly provocative and potentially inciting violence, have drawn widespread condemnation. “The utterances are likely to incite feelings of contempt, hatred, hostility, violence or discrimination, and affect harmonious coexistence between groups of different political affiliations in Kenya,” stated the NCIC on Wednesday.
A viral video shows Maalim harshly condemning the protesters, describing them as “children of wealthy business owners” attempting a coup by marching to State House.
“Children of wealthy business owners, wealthy parents, and kids raised on ill-gotten wealth, 80 percent from one tribe, were dropped off in downtown and told to riot and take over State House and Parliament buildings. God forbid, if I was president, I would have slaughtered them, 5,000 of them daily,” Maalim said in the video.
Maalim’s failure to appear before the NCIC has fueled further controversy. NCIC chairperson Samuel Kobia confirmed that the MP requested to reschedule his appearance to Monday, July 15. The Commission emphasized that failure to comply is an offense under Section 63 of the NCI Act.
The MP’s remarks have led to widespread calls for his arrest and prosecution. In response to the backlash, Maalim defended himself, claiming the video was manipulated to tarnish his image. “It’s all editing, cutting, and pasting… It’s not the true picture,” he asserted.
As tensions rise, many Kenyans demand accountability, insisting that such dangerous rhetoric cannot go unpunished.
