NCIC probing over 50 cases of hate speech- Oguna

At least 51 cases of hate speech are before the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC), Government Spokesperson Cyrus Oguna has said.

The cases, currently at different stages of investigation were filed between April 2021 to date.

Oguna said that most are political in nature, promising to speed up the cases and ensure justice is delivered

“These leaders who make hate speech, they do that because we encourage them as an electorate,” Oguna noted.

The government spokesperson said that while there is freedom of speech in Kenya, some leaders have taken advantage and used their platforms to propagate hatred.

Kenyans are free to sell their agendas anywhere but within the law. But few have taken advantage and misconstrued that freedom, using it to spread hate, intimidation, abuse and make unprintable remarks,” he said.

Oguna reminded politicians to shun hate speech and inflammatory remarks as Kenya gears up for another General Election in coming months.

“Elections come and go but our country shall always remain. Let us not allow divisive rhetoric to threaten our hard-fought economic gains.”

This year alone, Meru Senator Mithika Linturi, Matthew Lempurkel have been presented before the commission to answer to hate speech charges.