The National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) has released a list of 19 words that the commission will going forward consider as hate speech.
The list contains commonly used words such as ‘hatupangwingwi’ and ‘kama noma noma’.
Also on the list is the ‘madoa doa’ phrase linked to the 2007/08 post-election violence that left more than 1,100 people dead and 600,000 others displaced. Azimio la Umoja presidential candidate Raila Odinga and Meru Senator Mithika Linturi were recently summoned by NCIC over the slur.
Speaking at a press conference in Nairobi on Friday, NCIC Chairman Samuel Kobia said the lexicon words have the potential to incite violence between two or more ethnic communities in Kenya.
“We have therefore taken the bull by its horns through this exercise of identifying terms and coded language that have been commonly used in Kenya’s political landscape with the intent to incite violence against various communities of differing political stances,” said Kobia.
The NCIC boss, however, said the list is not conclusive and will be updated from time to time.
Also Read: Senator Linturi Apologises After Uproar Over “Madoadoa” Remarks
“As such, this remains a living document since the terms and coded language shall be regularly updated for use in the social media tracking of the National cohesion and Integration Commission,” he said.
NCIC said persons found using the words will be listed on the commission’s wall of shame.
The words could also attract legal action for using them.
The latest directive by NCIC is meant to curb the spread of hate speech ahead of the August 9 General Elections.
Also Read: Sonko, MPs Simba Arati, Silvanus Osoro Named and Shamed By NCIC
Below is the complete list:
- Uncircumcised
- Fumigation
- Eliminate
- Kill
- Kaffir
- Madoa doa
- Chunga Kura
- Kama noma noma
- Kwekwe
- Mende
- Hatupangwingwi
- Operation Linda kura
- Watu wa kurusha mawe
- Watajua hawajui
- Wabara waende kwao
- Wakuja (Those that come)
- Uthamaki ni witu
- Kimurkeldet (Brown teeth)
- Otutu Labatonik (uproot the weed)
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