By FRANKLINE SUNDAY

KENYA: The evolution of hate speech and ethnic intolerance in Kenya is best illustrated in the issue of the East African Standard of this day, two decades ago.

Two stories on facing pages and both from the Coast Province point to levels of ethnic intolerance and hate speech that have reached alarming levels perpetrated by rogue leaders in all circles of live including in the Government and religion.

In the first case, the minister for Land Reclamation and Regional Water Development Darius Mbela was quoted in public as asking local communities to evict traders from the Kikuyu community from Taita Taveta district.

In a fiery-worded rhetoric at a packed Kanu rally in Wundanyi, Mbela asked local authorities to evict Kikuyu hawkers and kiosk operators trading in Taveta and Voi. His justification was that members of the Taita community were not doing business in Central Province and, therefore, Kikuyu traders should leave business interests in Coast for the indigenous communities.

Inciting message

The minister was quoted as asking, “Why are the Taita and Voi local authorities licensing Kikuyus to operate business yet no Taita can operate one in Kikuyu areas? I have visited Murang’a, Nyeri and Kirinyaga districts and have never met a single Taita running a business there.”

Mbela’s statement at the time was appalling on two fronts; It was made in public and served to incite communities living together against each other.

The other alarming aspect was that the minister was flanked by other leaders from Coast who included ministers, MPs and Kanu party officials. None of the leaders, however, stood up to give an opinion that differed to Mbela’s nor move to speak and tone down the inciting message.

The second incident had a leader of the Islamic Party of Kenya publicly threatening some Coast politicians with death at a perceived opposition to the group’s activity. At the time, the Government had declined to register IPK and officials of the group led by a Sheikh Khalid Salim Balala are literary baying for the blood of assistant minister Shariff Nassir and nominated MP Rashid Sajaad.

Addressing the Press at a Mosque in Majengo, Mombasa, the cleric said, “IPK is not going to rest until the blood of Nassir and Sajaad, who are supporting anti-IPK activities, is spilled.”

Balala had earlier on issued a decree to Muslims to “hunt for the politicians and cut off their heads” and that anyone who does that will be issued with a blank cheque.

Some researchers have linked such religious fanaticism 20 years ago to sowing of the first seeds of discontent that was later on to become the Mombasa Republican Council.

Such public declarations and printed in the Press in their entirety paint a picture of the journey that Kenya has made in trying to rid the vice that is tribalism.

Today, Kenya can boast of a law against incidents of hate speech and incitement and a constitutional body — National Cohesion and Integration Commission — to enforce the law.

However, as Kenyans take stock of the changes that have been made in the governance of its more than 40 tribes, some similarities still remain and the vice that is tribalism still thrives in some quarters.

Inciting message

Today, as was the case 20 years ago, politicians remain at the centre and are blamed for both promoting tribal hatred and funding perpetrators of hate crimes.

Though toned down, utterances pitting communities against each other at charged political rallies and funerals were the norm in the campaign period of the March general elections.

The Commission of Inquiry on Post-Election Violence of 2007/8 (popularly known as the Waki Commission) cited utterances of incitement as the cause of the violence that reigned after the disputed presidential results of the 2007 elections.

More worrying for Kenyans is that the venom today has shifted from public rallies and funerals and gone online. Young and educated Internet users (especially subscribers of social media sites) have taken over from loose-tongued politicians and are even doing a better job at sowing seeds of discord on Facebook, Twitter and in the comment section of media houses websites.

NCIC has admitted it is nearly impossible to contain individual users who use their public accounts to spread hate speech and the justice system lacks the technical capacity to deal with crimes committed in the cyberspace.

Because of this, only 20 per cent of hate speech cases online are investigated and even less are prosecuted.

And as Kenyans celebrate 50 years of cultural diversity and expression, it is saddening that the future of this pride is threatened by young and educated people who fail to learn from history.