The National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) has issued a strong warning to political leaders, their supporters and online users over what it describes as a worrying rise in hate speech, ethnic incitement, political intolerance and divisive rhetoric, saying the trend threatens Kenya’s unity, democracy and peaceful coexistence.
In a statement released shortly after the swearing-in of its chairperson and seven commissioners, the newly constituted Commission said it was assuming office at a critical moment when public discourse is increasingly being marked by hostility, ethnic profiling and inflammatory political exchanges.
“The Commission assumes its mandate at a critical juncture defined by escalating political intolerance, hate speech, ethnic contempt, and violent rhetoric that have become disturbingly prevalent in Kenya’s public discourse,” the statement read.
NCIC said recent weeks have seen a series of incidents that point to a growing culture of intolerance, including the disruption of political meetings, cyber bullying and the targeting of individuals because of their political beliefs.
“These occurrences are not just regrettable. In several instances, they constitute violations of the law,” the Commission warned.
The agency expressed concern that continued use of ethnicity and intolerance as political tools could weaken the country’s democratic institutions and fuel divisions among citizens.
“Democracy is a culture. It demands tolerance. It requires respect for the diversity of opinion,” the statement said. “A democracy that silences dissent through intimidation, weaponizes ethnicity to mobilise political support, or incites citizens against one another is a democracy in peril.”
The Commission reminded leaders and members of the public that freedom of expression, though protected under the Constitution, has clear legal limits.
Citing Article 33 of the Constitution, NCIC noted that the law does not protect propaganda for war, incitement to violence, hate speech or advocacy of ethnic hatred.
“Freedom is not lawlessness,” NCIC said, adding that ethnic contempt and hate speech remain criminal offences under the National Cohesion and Integration Act.
The Commission also turned its attention to digital platforms, warning that social media has increasingly been used to spread divisive messages and organize harassment campaigns against individuals with opposing views.
“Online hate speech carries the same legal consequences as utterances made in public,” it said. “Those who believe that the anonymity of a screen or the speed of a share exempts them from accountability are mistaken.”
At the same time, the Commission stressed that enforcement of the law would be applied equally regardless of a person’s political standing or influence.
“No one is above the law. Political influence does not confer immunity from accountability,” the Commission stated. “Any individual, regardless of position, found to have violated the National Cohesion and Integration Act, 2008, will be subject to the full range of remedial and punitive measures available.”
The Commission further called on political parties to take responsibility for the conduct of their members by enforcing discipline and openly condemning inflammatory remarks made within their ranks.
It also appealed to young people to reject attempts to draw them into political violence, hate campaigns and intolerance, urging them instead to champion peaceful engagement and issue-based politics.
With the new team now fully in office, NCIC said it is ready to carry out its mandate and work towards safeguarding national cohesion, warning that unchecked hate speech and ethnic division pose a direct threat to Kenya’s democratic future.