Four state agencies have formed a high-level multi-agency committee to crack down on hate speech and incitement ahead of the 2027 General Election, with a warning that leaders found guilty could be barred from contesting.
The National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC), the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties (ORPP) announced the joint taskforce during a press conference in Nairobi on Monday.
The agencies said the political rhetoric witnessed in recent months poses a threat to national stability and could undermine peaceful elections.
Joint Action Plan
NCIC Chairperson Dr. Samuel Kobia said the committee will monitor speeches, social media content, and public gatherings for early signs of ethnic profiling, hate speech, and incitement.
“We are entering a critical period in our electoral cycle. The cost of hate is too high for this country to bear again,” Kobia said. “Leaders who engage in hate and incitement will face the law, and where applicable, be disqualified from participating in the 2027 General Election.”
IEBC CEO Marjan Hussein Marjan said the Commission will use the Elections Offences Act and the Political Parties Act to hold candidates and parties accountable. He added that compliance with the Electoral Code of Conduct will be a key requirement during party nominations and candidate clearance.
DCI, ORPP Role
DCI Director Mohamed Amin said detectives will work with NCIC to investigate and prosecute cases of hate speech, both online and offline. “We will not wait until after violence occurs. We are moving early to deter and prosecute,” Amin said.
ORPP Registrar Anne Nderitu said political parties will be required to submit action plans on how they will tame reckless utterances by their members, warning that parties could also face deregistration for repeated violations.
Context: 2027 Build-up
Civil society groups have welcomed the move but urged the agencies to apply the law fairly and without political bias.
Civil society groups have welcomed the move but urged the agencies to apply the law fairly and without political bias.
The committee says it will roll out civic education, media monitoring, and rapid response teams in hotspots across the country starting next month.
“The cost of hate is too high for this country to bear again.”
-Dr.Samuel Kobia NCIC chairperson
