NCIC Flags Rise in Hate Speech Amid Ruto-Gachagua Disputes

The National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) has raised serious concerns over a rise in divisive rhetoric. 

In a press briefing on Thursday, January 24, NCIC Chairperson Samuel Kobia decried the spread of hate speech and ethnic contempt, particularly on social media platforms and at public rallies in recent weeks.

“We are alarmed by the surge in deeply divisive rhetorics which verge on hate speech and ethnic contempt, that has plagued the social media platforms as well as the public rallies in the recent weeks.

“As the nation’s voice of reason, we demand an immediate return to order and decorum. These reckless utterances are not short of a call to war and have absolutely no place in Kenya,” he said.

Kobia warned that the misuse of social media by hatemongers and inciters is undermining the delicate social fabric that holds the nation together. 

“We shall not stand by and let this poison our nation’s peace and social cohesion fragile fabric. We therefore warn against use and misuse of social media including hatemongers and inciters,” he added.

This comes at a time when political tensions appear to be rising, fueled by inflammatory statements by political leaders and online propaganda. 

For instance, while speaking in Luanda, Vihiga County on Wednesday, January 22, President William Ruto called out former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua describing him as incompetent and corrupt.

Ruto warned Gachagua and his team that they would not succeed given that they were only focused on causing divisions among Kenyans.

"There are some people who we gave them work and because of incompetence, not understanding anything, theft, conmanship, corruption, hatred, their plan and work flopped. I want to tell them that they will continue failing because Kenya does not have any space for people who are corrupt, do not know how to work, and are tribalists.

"We have no time for tribalist people who are incompetent and those who want to divide our nation into ethnic, parochial, and personal lines. We are united as a people and Kenya is going to march forward as one indivisible country," he said.

In the wake of Ruto's remarks, Gachagua hit back at Ruto, noting that Kenyans were well aware of who was truly corrupt and incompetent in the country.

In an engagement with Kenyans on TikTok on Thursday, January 23, Gachagua asserted that the events of the past two years demonstrated outright incompetence of the government and added that Kenyans were fully aware of the prevailing issues.

"When you talk about corruption, people of this country know who is corrupt. When you talk about incompetence, people know who is incompetent. That is where we are as a country. If you ask people what has happened in this country in two years, that is sheer incompetence.

"When you talk about people who are corrupt and incompetent, just take the mirror and look at yourself because Kenyans know better. They know exactly where we are. People are very intelligent,” he said.

Other leaders including Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichung'wah, Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi, Sirisia MP John Waluke and Webuye West MP Dan Wanyama have been on record making controversial remarks in public.