Peter Salasya, the embattled Member of Parliament for Mumias East and presidential hopeful, may have to remain behind bars for a longer period following his arrest last Friday.
The legislator, who has been detained at Central Police Station in Nairobi, had his case deferred to a later date after an error was discovered in the presiding judge’s charge sheet.
The developments were confirmed by Salasya’s aide, who shared updates on social media, alleging what he termed as malicious attempts to frustrate the youthful politician’s progress.
“Hon. Peter Salasya was arraigned at Milimani Law Courts. His legal team waited outside Court 6 all morning, but the magistrate announced an error in the judge’s sheet.
The case has now been moved to Court 2, and we have to wait. Seems someone is managing this matter,” the aide posted.
Salasya has been detained for the past three nights following his arrest for allegedly making hate speech during his public appearances.
Authorities have confirmed that the arrest was based on statements made by the MP, although his legal team and supporters argue that the charges are politically motivated.
The MP claims he was ambushed by a group of individuals, whom he believes were officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), after addressing a rally in Isiolo.
According to Salasya, the officers set up a roadblock on the Isiolo-Nanyuki road, where they detained him following a confrontation.
“They ambushed my convoy. The officers were masked men with AK-47 rifles. They disarmed my bodyguards and confiscated their weapons. I initially managed to escape, but they eventually apprehended me,” Salasya recounted.
Despite his detention, Salasya’s lawyers were unable to secure bail on Friday.
According to sources close to the case, police cited “orders from above” in their refusal to grant the legislator bail, raising concerns over possible political interference in his legal proceedings.
“Salasya remains detained at Central Police Station. His lawyers’ efforts to secure cash bail have been unsuccessful, with police citing ‘orders from above’ to keep him in custody,” the aide confirmed.
Salasya, who recently declared his bid for the presidency in 2027, responded to his recent legal battles by clarifying that his nationwide campaign was not designed to attack the government.
He emphasized that his political agenda focused on engaging directly with citizens, not undermining state authorities.
“My campaign is not an attack on the government. I am focused on engaging the people of this country, to address their issues and concerns. I don’t understand why they are targeting me,” Salasya said in a statement.
In the week prior to his latest arrest, Salasya narrowly escaped an alleged attempt to apprehend him at a Mombasa hotel on May 11.
Footage and photos from the incident, shared widely on social media, show a group of men in plain clothes and masks at the hotel where the MP was staying.
Salasya claimed that the men, who identified themselves as police officers, could not provide any identification, and their vehicle had no number plates, heightening suspicions about their intentions.
Despite the attempts to detain him, Salasya was eventually able to avoid capture.
He was later arraigned at Milimani Law Courts for hate speech, where he denied the charges.
He was granted a sh 400,000 bond or sh 200,000 cash bail to secure his release.
The ongoing legal challenges and alleged political targeting have only added to the controversy surrounding Salasya as he seeks to position himself as a viable presidential candidate.
With his legal team continuing to fight the charges, it remains unclear how long the MP will remain behind bars.
As investigations continue and court proceedings unfold, many are watching closely to see whether Salasya’s detention will fuel further political tension or if the case will take another unexpected turn.
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