NCIC, DCI to intensify war on hate speech

Director of Criminal Investigations Ndegwa Muhoro says his office will work closely with the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) to tame rising hate remarks and political intolerance.

Muhoro and NCIC Chairman Francis Kaparo vowed to intensify joint efforts to crack down on hate-mongers across the country as well as on social media.

Kaparo warned that anyone who fails to appear before the commission after being summoned will be arrested.

The NCIC boss said the commission is currently handling hate speech cases against five politicians.

The commission denied claims of bias, failing to act on many hate cases and submitting weak cases to court.

This comes after Jubilee MPs Moses Kuria and Kimani Ngunjiri said publicly that they will not appear before NCIC until Machakos Senator Johnstone Muthama is summoned and grilled over alleged hate speech.

The NCIC announced it was investigating lawmakers alleged to have made utterances amounting to or bordering on hate speech.

The lawmakers include Kimani Ngunjiri (Bahati), Junet Mohammed (Suna East), who was taken into custody Tuesday morning, Aisha Jumwa (Kilifi Women Representative), Timothy Bosire (Kitutu Masaba MP) and Moses Kuria (Gatundu South).

Kuria and Kabete MP Ferdinand Waititu appeared before the Directorate of Criminal Investigations Monday night where they were grilled before being released on police bond and asked to report back on Tuesday.

The Director of Criminal Investigations Ndegwa Muhoro added that officers were completing investigations into the alleged hate speech by the legislators.

NCIC chair Francis Ole Kaparo blamed the recent protests for raising the temperature in the country, warning that the NCIC would work with law enforcement agencies to bring those who engaged in hate-mongering to book.