The National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) has issued a strong warning to lawmakers and political leaders over the rising cases of hate speech, particularly on social media.
This follows a series of verbal attacks that have increasingly become divisive and threatening to national unity.
NCIC Vice Chairperson Wambui Nyutu revealed that investigations into several politicians, including Oscar Sudi (Kapseret), Farah Maalim (Dadaab), and Dan Wanyama (Webuye West), have been completed.
Their cases have now been forwarded to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), with the Commission urging swift action for their arrest.
“We have over 10 politicians using language that could incite violence among Kenyans. Our investigations are complete, and we’ve handed over the files to DCI.
If the next step is taken arrests, charges, and prosecution it will mark progress,” Nyutu told the press.
On the same day, NCIC Chairperson Samuel Kobia, alongside fellow commissioners, expressed their deep concerns about the escalating “divisive rhetoric” among political leaders.
They warned that the nation was heading in a dangerous direction, with inflammatory language and attacks becoming more frequent, especially with the general election still over two years away.
“We are alarmed by the surge in rhetoric that edges dangerously close to hate speech and ethnic contempt, particularly on social media and at public rallies,” the commission stated in its release.
Kobia stressed that these divisive statements had no place in Kenyan politics.
“We demand an immediate return to order and civility.
The kind of language we have witnessed recently is unacceptable,” he added.
The commission also warned political figures against exploiting social media platforms in ways that violate constitutional freedoms.
While Article 33 of the 2010 Constitution guarantees freedom of expression, NCIC reminded that it does not protect incitement to violence, hate speech, or any form of ethnic or discriminatory propaganda.
“The Constitution does not protect the incitement of violence, ethnic contempt, or harmful rhetoric targeting individuals or groups,” NCIC clarified, referencing the National Cohesion Act 2008, which guarantees the rights of all Kenyans, irrespective of their political, ethnic, or religious backgrounds.
This statement comes amid growing political tensions, as leaders across various factions intensify their rhetoric ahead of the 2027 elections.
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, for example, recently launched a series of attacks on President William Ruto via social media, further fueling the political divide.
Meanwhile, President Ruto has been touring the Western region to launch various development projects, while also openly criticizing Gachagua for his alleged divisive actions.
Ruto’s allies, such as Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi, have also made headlines with controversial social media posts backing the President and attacking his opponents, including Gachagua.
The online exchanges between the President’s supporters and his critics continue to heat up, contributing to a volatile political climate.
In the midst of this, Gachagua’s allies, including Githunguri MP Gathoni Wamuchomba, have raised questions about the government’s handling of issues like the distribution of bonuses to sugarcane farmers, with some accusing the President of double standards.
As the political temperature continues to rise, the NCIC’s warning serves as a reminder that leaders must exercise caution in their public statements, especially with the potential to incite division and harm national cohesion.
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