As Kenya moves closer to the 2027 election cycle, the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) says it is tightening its prevention and enforcement measures to deal with rising concerns over hate speech, political provocation, and misuse of online platforms that could threaten national stability.
NCIC Chief Executive Officer Daniel Mutegi says the agency is expanding cooperation with state institutions, civil groups, and the public to build a stronger culture of peace, while warning that gaps in reforms, limited awareness, and new forms of harmful communication continue to slow down progress.
Speaking during a Radio Generation interview on Wednesday, Mutegi stressed that maintaining cohesion requires active participation from all Kenyans.
“We are making all the efforts, working with the different government agencies, stakeholders and the Kenyans at large,” he said, adding that citizens remain central to peace-building efforts. “The highest office is that of the citizens.”
He explained that the commission has adopted a structured peace framework that runs before elections, during voting, and after results are declared, noting that history has shown that tensions often rise after elections.
“We are doing what we are calling pre-election coercion and integration measures, then during the elections, and after the elections,” he said.
Mutegi said the NCIC was created under the National Cohesion and Integration Act of 2008 following the 2007/2008 post-election violence and became fully operational in 2009, with a mandate to promote unity, prevent ethnic discrimination, and address hate speech and conflict.
The commission consists of a chairperson and eight commissioners and has over the years led peace campaigns, pursued hate speech prosecutions, supported security agencies, and worked with county peace committees to reduce ethnic tensions.
It has also developed early warning systems and supported reconciliation programmes aimed at preventing conflict before it escalates.
Mutegi defended the commission from criticism that it has been slow in acting on hate speech and organised criminal networks, saying it has conducted research that has shaped national policy responses.
“We were the first people to undertake a comprehensive standard on the emergence of organised criminal gangs in our country,” he said.
He added that the commission continues to work with security agencies and civil society organisations to prevent politically driven violence, though he acknowledged that enforcement remains difficult, especially when politicians are involved.
“We have tried to summon persons who have been involved in those activities, and most of the cases we realise that they are politicians,” he said.
NCIC data shows that in 2024 alone, 67 cases were recorded, with 43 still under investigation, 13 completed, 13 resolved through conciliation, and 2 already in court.
During the same period, 268 incidents on social media were flagged, involving hate speech, incitement, misinformation, and discrimination.
Several political figures were summoned for questioning, including Dadaab MP Farah Maalim over alleged inflammatory remarks during the Gen Z protests, as well as Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi and Webuye West MP Dan Wanyama, whose matters were later forwarded to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations.
In 2025, the commission reported about 23 active investigations, with some suspects questioned, others ignoring summons, and several files escalated to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Mutegi said every complaint is first assessed to determine whether it qualifies as hate speech, incitement, misinformation, or other forms of harmful expression.
On enforcement, he noted that current laws limit the commission’s effectiveness, but reforms are underway to strengthen its authority.
“The NCIC Act Bill has moved to the third reading,” he said, adding that reforms would allow the commission to address incitement and dangerous speech more effectively.
“We will be able to get powers also to prosecute or to arrest,” he said, while clarifying that prosecution decisions remain under the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
The proposed amendments aim to increase penalties for hate speech, expand investigative powers, improve coordination with security agencies and courts, and refine definitions of hate speech and ethnic contempt to remove legal gaps.
Mutegi also pointed to weak public awareness as a challenge, saying limited funding has affected outreach and communication efforts.
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“We have not published so much what to do because communication also may require a lot of finances,” he said.
He added that the commission is upgrading its digital platforms and expanding civic education programmes ahead of the elections.
“From July, new financial year we are going to see a new NCIC,” he said.
He further linked current cohesion work to past national reconciliation efforts, saying some recommendations have not yet been fully implemented.
“We will be able to vouch for us to implement the recommendations of some of these commissions, so that we heal the nation completely,” he said.
Mutegi urged media, civil society, and citizens to play an active role in promoting peace, warning that failure to act collectively could undermine national unity ahead of the polls.