NCIC raises fear over online hate speech ahead of 2027 elections

NCIC deputy director Kyalo Mwengi addressing the media in Maralal Town, Samburu County on February 2, 2026. [Michael Saitoti, Standard]

The National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) has expressed concerns that political rhetoric disseminated via social media may incite violence in the lead-up to the 2027 General Election.

According to Kyalo Mwengi, the Deputy Director of the NCIC, such rhetoric is inherently peer-to-peer, instantaneous, and, in certain instances, encrypted when conveyed through social media platforms.

During a workshop in Samburu County focused on the implementation of three documents related to Kenya’s National Action Plan Against Hate Speech, Mwengi emphasised that hate speech propagated through social media currently represents the most significant challenge faced by the commission.

He underscored that individuals utilising social media to spread hate speech and incite unrest should recognise that approximately 48 per cent of the population has internet access, amounting to about 24.7 million people, predominantly young individuals.

Mwengi further observed that a single post containing incitement or hate speech can potentially reach over 100 million people globally.

He disclosed that the commission is in the process of developing a platform aimed at mitigating online hate speech and incitement ahead of the forthcoming elections.

He noted that through a nationwide civic education campaign, the NCIC has identified hate speech disseminated through platforms such as Facebook, X, and others as its primary challenge.

Additionally, he highlighted that social media platforms are often inadequately equipped or unwilling to manage the proliferation of harmful content.

"It is worth exploring how best stakeholders can collaborate to mitigate the potential impact of hate speech or inciting rhetoric disseminated through such platforms," Mwengi remarked.

He also stated that ethnic hatred and incitement to ethnic violence have increasingly migrated to the Internet and social media outlets within the country.

"On blogs, Facebook, and X, Kenyans have transferred the venom of ethnic chauvinism, hatred, and incitement to the digital realm as a means to evade the relatively effective restrictions imposed on

inciting speech by print and broadcast media," he explained.

Furthermore, the commission is actively monitoring media platforms to clarify the nature of hate speech, how to identify it, methods to prevent it, and procedures for reporting incidents, with the aim of

mitigating hate speech during the 2027 elections.

Titu Omanyi, Deputy Commissioner of Samburu Central Sub-County, indicated that efforts are underway to identify hotspots and utilise public barazas to promote peace and social cohesion.

Additionally, Bishop David Lebarlaiya of the Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK) stated that the church is working to curb hate speech among politicians during Sunday services. "We emphasise the importance of preaching peace and cohesion whenever they participate in Sunday services," he stated.