Kenya is preparing to spend nearly Sh1 billion to prevent violence, hate speech and political intolerance ahead of the 2027 General Election, as memories of the 2007/2008 post-election violence continue to haunt the country.
The National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) plans to spend an estimated Sh962.6 million on a peace roadmap designed to detect tensions early, counter hate speech and ethnic mobilisation, engage young people and rebuild public trust before political competition escalates into violence.
The commission’s Salama 2027 roadmap was unveiled before the Senate Committee on National Cohesion, Equal Opportunity and Regional Integration earlier this week.
The commission’s chairperson Bishop Kepha Omae told the Nation on Thursday that the commission would require the amount to implement the programme, with Sh250 million expected from the Exchequer through supplementary budgets and the remainder to be raised from development partners and donors.
“The 2027 election must be treated as a process and not a one-day event. We must rebuild trust, engage young people and identify tensions early before they translate into conflict and we estimate that the implementation of the initiatives will cost about Sh962.6 million,” Bishop Omae said.
Deputy Inspector General of Police Gilbert Masengeli (left) and Chairperson of the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) Dr Kepha Nyamweya Omae on September 14, 2026.
Photo credit: Evans Habil | Nation
The planned expenditure comes as political activity gathers momentum and concerns grow over rising intolerance, inflammatory rhetoric, ethnic profiling and the use of young people in political mobilisation.
It also adds another substantial bill to the cost of the 2027 election, which has been estimated at about Sh60 billion.
The NCIC says part of the money will go towards high tech early warning systems to monitor dangerous speech across online platforms and identify areas where political tensions could escalate.
The commission also plans to deploy rapid response mediation teams to vulnerable areas, conduct peace caravans and civic education campaigns and strengthen mechanisms for tracking and pursuing cases involving ethnic mobilisation, political incitement and misinformation.
“We seek to use the money in bringing together peace actors and communities to address the factors that traditionally fuel election related conflict. Part of the money will also be used to run peace caravans, civic education and other initiatives across the country to deter mainly young people from being used to cause violence,” Bishop Omae said.
The programme will also map conflict-prone areas across the 47 counties and establish mechanisms for early intervention before tensions spill into violence.
The NCIC says the strategy will not be implemented by the commission alone but through a multi-agency approach involving government agencies, political actors, civil society, communities and other stakeholders.
The roadmap focuses on rebuilding public trust, multi-agency coordination, youth engagement, early-warning systems and monitoring hate speech.
“The programme targets hate speech, misinformation, youth involvement in political violence and conflict-prone areas. The commission plans to monitor regions considered vulnerable and conduct peace campaigns mainly involving the youth, among other initiatives,” Bishop Omae said.
The Senate committee chaired by Marsabit Senator Mohamed Said Chute, has called for stronger grassroots peace structures, greater youth participation and early action against online hate speech.
The committee held a town hall meeting with NCIC, national government administrators, civil society organisations, community leaders and members of the public during the Senate’s Mashinani programme in Kilifi County.
Senator Mohamed Said Chute who chairs the Cohesion Committee.
Photo credit: File| Nation Media Group
“We cannot wait until campaigns are at their peak to start talking about peace. The structures for early warning, youth engagement and conflict prevention must be working now, and communities must be part of the solutions,” Senator Chute said.
The committee undertook to follow up on funding for peace structures, public participation and county-level peace-building policies, while urging NCIC and its partners to strengthen grassroots engagement ahead of 2027.
From the 2007/2008 post-election violence, in which more than 1,100 people were killed, to the disputed 2017 presidential election and the political tensions surrounding the 2022 General Election, successive electoral cycles have tested Kenya’s institutions and exposed the risks of competition for State power.
As the 2027 election approaches, concerns about political intolerance are again rising.
Sharp personal attacks, accusations, inflammatory remarks and statements perceived as targeting particular communities have become increasingly common, drawing concern from religious leaders, civil society organisations and peace-building groups.
The NCIC has in recent weeks summoned several politicians over alleged hate speech as it steps up efforts to contain ethnic profiling and political intolerance.
Those summoned include Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale, Public Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku, former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and Mukurwe-ini MP John Kaguchia.
Bishop Omae said the commission would not tolerate ethnic profiling, inflammatory rhetoric or incitement by political leaders.
“NCIC will not tolerate ethnic profiling, inflammatory rhetoric and incitement by political leaders. The increasing political intolerance, use of goons and violations of civil and political rights pose a serious threat to Kenya’s democratic future. Politicians found culpable of incitement and ethnic profiling will face the full force of the law,” he said.
The commission’s intervention comes as political observers and religious leaders warn that unchecked intolerance and ethnic polarisation could create conditions for election-related violence.
Governance expert David Ngugi said violence often develops gradually through political intolerance, public frustration and declining confidence in institutions before escalating into open confrontation.
“Electoral violence is not a single-day event. It happens gradually through political intolerance, public frustrations and declining confidence in institutions, before erupting into open confrontation,” Mr Ngugi said.
He called for closer coordination between NCIC, the National Police Service, the Judiciary, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission.
“Kenya has the needed institutions and laws to avert a repeat of the 2007/2008 violence,” he said.
Last month, the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops warned that rising political violence, goonism and ethnic polarisation could push the country towards instability as the 2027 election draws closer.
“The culture of goonism and verbal indiscipline is pushing the country into violence. The emergence of controlled criminal elements ahead of the 2027 General Election is worrying and disturbing,” said KCCB chairman Bishop Maurice Muhatia.
“Politicians must also be careful with their utterances in public as we head to elections. The trend poses a serious threat to national unity,” he added.
From left: Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops chairman Archbishop Maurice Muhatia Makumba, Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops vice-chairman Archbishop Anthony Muheria, and Nairobi Archbishop Philip Anyolo address the media in Karen, Nairobi, on June 23, 2026.
Photo credit: Bonface Bogita | Nation Media Group
The warnings have added urgency to the NCIC’s peace programme, which is based on the premise that prevention is cheaper than responding after violence has already erupted.
The commission has also been working with peace-building organisations to strengthen early-warning and conflict-prevention mechanisms.
In January 2026, NCIC, the Mashariki Research and Policy Centre and the European Centre for Electoral Support explored a partnership to develop a Conflict Vulnerability Index to identify potential conflict hotspots and support early interventions before, during and after the 2027 elections.
A similar exercise conducted by NCIC in 2022 identified political incitement, ethnic polarisation, boundary disputes, exclusion and competition over resources as potential drivers of conflict.
