MPs have raised alarm over the return of hate speech, inflammatory utterances and negative ethnicity as the country nears election period, even as agencies charged with dealing with the threats appear powerless.
The lawmakers warned that Kenya risks going down the 2007 post-election violence route should the inflammatory remarks, hate speech and ethnic profiling currently being experienced in social media not be nipped in the bud.
The development comes at a time when a section of political leaders has been embroiled in propagating ethnic profiling and fanning ethnic discord ahead of the 2027 General Election.
On Monday, senators threatened to have the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) disbanded and its mandate transferred to other agencies for failing to clamp down on the triple threat.
National Cohesion and Integration Commission Chairperson Dr Samuel Kobia (left) and CEO and Commission Secretary Dr Daniel Mutegi Giti during a past press conference in Nairobi on May 21, 2025.
Photo credit: Lucy Wanjiru | Nation Media Group
Appearing before the Senate National Cohesion and Regional Integration committee on Monday, the Commission’s chief executive officer, Daniel Giti was hard-pressed on what the agency is doing to clamp down on the rise of cases of hate speech, propaganda for war and negative ethnicity.
NCIC was to respond to concerns raised by nominated Senator Catherine Mumma regarding the rise of unchecked inflammatory utterances by influential public figures and political leaders.
This, as cases of online ethnic hate speech have surged, raises concerns over the silence of key government agencies tasked with the responsibility of monitoring and deterring such cases.
The NCIC was established at the end of the 2007 post-election violence to promote national identity and values. It was charged with mitigating ethno-political competition and ethnically motivated violence, eliminating discrimination on an ethnic, racial or religious basis and promoting national reconciliation and healing.
However, every election since 2007 has been marked by fear of violence, and inflammatory speech has always featured, with underlying ethnic rivalries rekindled.
Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga addresses a press conference at his home in Nyeri town on October 22, 2025.
Photo credit: Joseph Kanyi | Nation Media Group
However, the remarks left a trail of online ethnic vitriol on social media as members of the Luo and Kikuyu communities took on each other.
Taken to task by the Marsabit Senator Mohamed Chute-led committee on the Commission’s preparedness over the rising cases, Dr Giti was casual in his response saying they are constantly monitoring both digital and traditional media in an effort to counter the spread of hate speech and inflammatory statements.
He added that the agency is also conducting training, sensitisation and capacity building on digital literacy, hate speech detection and ethical online expression admitting that social media platforms are the major contributors to the dissemination of hate speech and inciting utterances.
“The Commission has actively monitored social media platforms to promote cohesion and integration by curbing hate speech, ethnic contempt and related offences and preventing incitement to violence and discrimination,” said Dr Giti.
Nonetheless, the senators found the Commission’s response casual and lacking in substance and subsequently sent the agency away to put their act together and appear before the committee with a satisfactory response.
Nominated Senator Beth Syengo accused the Commission of sleeping on its job and being casual in addressing the growing menace the country is facing ahead of 2027 polls.
ODM-nominated Senator Beth Kalunda Syengo at Bunge Tower, Nairobi, on September 2, 2024.
Photo credit: Dennis Onsongo I Nation Media Group
Ms Syengo’s counterpart, Betty Montet, said the agency seems not aware of their role and so they should be disbanded and their mandate given to other serious Commissions, adding that the country is treading on dangerous grounds ahead of the 2027 elections.
“If you (NCIC) don’t take charge, this country will go down as such utterances are on the rise hate speech, propaganda for war and negative ethnicity,” said Ms Mumma.
Nominated Senator Joyce Korir added that the country is already in an election mood and such utterances happen every election cycle without any punitive recourse.
“We don’t want stories but concrete measures on how you will handle this threat. We want to know the cases you have taken up and their progress. You are too casual in your work and this is shameful,” said Ms Korir.
Last year, NCIC Chairperson Samuel Kobia revealed that the commission has intervened in 95 cases of hate speech on social media this year alone.
Mr Kobia said the majority of the cases appeared on the X platform (formerly known as Twitter), which accounted for 72 instances of hate speech.
NCIC further condemned the use of derogatory terms like “tugeges” to describe supporters of certain political factions, labelling such language as hurtful, demeaning, and dehumanising.
The commission noted that 2024 has seen a resurgence of inflammatory rhetoric and threats of violence rooted in ethnic divisions.
“2024 has become a year full of hate speech and threat to violence based on ethnicity,” Mr Kobia said.
Ahead of the 2022 General Election, Tiktok had the highest number of hate speech cases followed by Facebook and X, formerly Twitter.
