NCIC denies probing Kalonzo over ethnic slur

BY FELIX OLICK

NAIROBI, KENYA: The National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) is not investigating former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka over his ethnic slur against a journalist, Commission Secretary Hassan Mohamed has said.

This even as the Transitional Authority Chairman Kinuthia Wamwangi revealed that some officers seconded to the county Governments have been rejected because of their ethnicity.

Mr Hassan told the Standard that the Journalist Kennedy Muriithi has reconciled with the former VP and is not interested in pursuing the matter any further.

“We contacted the journalist last week on Friday and he told us that they have reconciled,” The Chief Executive Officer said. “Conciliation is accepted in law and we encourage it,”

Kalonzo who is also a co-principle in the Cord Coalition had declined to answer a question from the journalist because of his ethnicity.

“Thank you Muriithi, that name betrays it all, I have nothing else to say. Absolutely, I have nothing to say,” he remarked, sparking furious reaction on social media.

But speaking on the side-lines of a conference on equality standards in Nairobi on Wednesday, Mohammed said that the difficulty of taking up matters of ethnic hatred and hate speech because somebody has to lodge a formal complaint.

 “We can initiate investigations on our own but have to present a motion to the ministry concerned and in our case the Ministry of interior,” he said.

The term of the 7 NCIC commissioners including its former Chairman Mzalendo Kibunjia expired in September last year and the positions have remained vacant to date.

However, the CEO maintained that their operation have not grounded to a halt and revealed that they have carried out an extensive ethnic audit of parastatals, and the report is still pending.

Speaking at the same forum, Mr.Wamwangi revealed that his office and that of the Commission on Administrative Justice have been receiving complaints from the counties regarding discrimination in hiring

“There have also been incidents of rejection of officers seconded to the counties and resistance to their carrying out functions based on ethnicity,” he said “The counties have also been slow in adapting to special groups such as persons with disabilities by failing to provide them with the necessary infrastructure and tools that they require to function.”