Cohesion commission implements drastic measures to tame hate speech

The National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) has taken drastic measures in a bid to curb the hate speech and incitement menace amongst the electorates during the coming August polls.

NCIC is set to acquire at least 400 sets of electronic equipment, including 300 audio recorders, 47 camcorders, and 47 body-worn cameras, which will be dispatched to 104 cohesion monitors.

NCIC CEO Mohamed Hassan, who was speaking at a forum for broadcast media, said that the move was taken after the commission faced challenges in regards to presenting electronic evidence in court cases.

“We have lost many court cases of hate speech and incitement. The problem is that we are relying on electronic evidence which law requires must be owned, most of the time the journalists and media houses are not willing to record statements,” said the CEO.

The forum was meant for broadcast media stakeholders to strategize on means of taming hate speech and politically related violence especially through reported messages.

According to the CEO, the commission acknowledges the fact that heading into a political season; cases of hate speech and incitement of violence are likely to rise and therefore the need to prevent the country from plunging into chaos.

In an event that the media was advised to avoid fake news and conduct in-depth research before airing a story, the Communication Authority of Kenya (CAK) was asked to help in monitoring social media platforms, as the young generation may distribute hate through them.

This happens just a day after a scuffle ensued in Dagoreti South during a football match attended by Nairobi Gubernatorial aspirant Peter Kenneth when his supporters clashed with those of Nairobi Senator Mike Sonko.

IEBC CEO Ezra Chiloba now says the media must monitor such instances ahead of party primaries set for April this year.

“Everyone has a right to assembly, people should be free to campaign anywhere and attend any meeting as per their conscience. When you combine that with freedom of media, you get the ethos of our democracy,” said IEBC CEO.

Different institutions including the Media Council of Kenya and the IEBC are set to roll out journalist training sessions to sensitise media practitioners on best ways of covering this year’s high-stake election.

Written by Michael Majanga