31 social media account owners risk Sh1m fine or imprisonment

• Content published on social media should be in line with provisions of constitution
• Adminstrators of social media urged to control content
• NCIC has already flagged out 176 social media accounts

NAIROBI, KENYA: The National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) has flagged out 176 social media accounts in war against hate speech.

In a paid advert, the commission said 36 of the cases are currently under prosecution across the country and warned media houses to scrutiniose comments on various articles to avert misuse of their platforms.

“Any person contravening section 13 of NCI ACT 2008 is liable to a fine of one million or imprisonment of three years,” said Chairman Francis Ole Kaparo.

“We wish to urge broadcasters to manage their social media sites in a proactive manner so as to avoid posting of divisive and undesiravle user content during the electioneering period in line with the provisions of programming code,” said Francis Wangusi Communication Authority (CA) Director General.

In a paid up advert, NCIC and CA advised Broadcasters to exercise caution during this sensitive period to avoid giving hate mongers a platform to propagate hate speech, ethnic contempt, and incitement to violence.