Kikuyu poll songs not divisive, declares NCIC

NCIC Chair Francis Ole Kaparo. [Denish Ochieng/Standard]

The National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) is not investigating two Kikuyu musicians accused of composing divisive music.

According to NCIC Chief Executive Officer Hassan Mohamed, the songs ‘Hakuna Deni’ and ‘Mbari ya Kimenderi’ by Kimani wa Turaco and Muigai wa Njoroge respectively do not incite ethnic hatred and only express the disorder in society.

Mr Mohammed said the commission had keenly reviewed the lyrics and found nothing wrong with them, despite raising diverse public opinions.

“One of the songs talks about repaying a debt but does not touch on a specific community and the other expresses a political point that does not amount to hate speech,” he said, adding that they were, however, investigating individuals who redid the songs to portray a particular community negatively.

“We do not stifle creativity in the name of fighting hate speech but those who have changed the songs to stereotype a particular community will be brought to book,” he said at a journalists’ forum on hate speech held in Nakuru.

Martha Mathenge from UNDP asked Kenyans to embrace the Building Bridges initiative.