Mumias East MP Peter Salasya has been released from police custody after being granted bail by the Milimani Law Courts on Monday morning. Principal Magistrate Paul Mutai issued a Sh500,000 bond with an alternative Sh200,000 cash bail after the legislator was charged with hate speech, a charge he denied.

“Since the bond terms are not opposed, I am aided to grant the accused person as follows; he is admitted to a surety bond of Sh500,000 in the alternative cash bail of Sh200,000,” the magistrate ruled.

Salasya's release follows a dramatic arrest and a weekend spent in police custody. His legal team initially faced challenges securing his freedom due to errors in the charge sheet, which led to a deferment of the case and its transfer from Court 6 to Court 2, according to his aides.

The MP was arrested on Friday along the Isiolo-Nanyuki highway by individuals he claimed were officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI). In a post on social media, Salasya alleged the officers ambushed his convoy, shot at his vehicle, and disarmed his security detail.

“I have just been attacked by unknown individuals claiming to be DCI officers,” Salasya stated. “They disarmed my security team, shot at my vehicle, and pursued me. One of my guards helped me flee into nearby bushes for safety.”

According to the MP, the officers intercepted his convoy using multiple vehicles, deflated his car’s tires by gunfire, and immobilised the vehicle before taking him into custody.

At the time of the arrest, Salasya was reportedly travelling from political engagements in Meru and Isiolo, en route to Nanyuki for a series of public rallies.

The arrest and ensuing court proceedings have sparked mixed reactions, with some of Salasya’s supporters alleging political persecution. Meanwhile, the government has maintained that the case follows legal procedure in addressing incitement and hate speech concerns.