CMD Executive Director Frankline Mukwanja made the remarks during an interview with a local TV channel, at a time when government institutions are stepping up efforts to counter ethnic divisions and provocative political statements ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Mukwanja pointed to signs of uneven application of hate speech legislation, recalling incidents in Mbeera, Malawi, Ol Kalou, at an ACK church event, and recent events in Kisii, where, according to him, some deputies were not called for explanations. In his opinion, this indicates the possibility of double standards. However, he stressed that the problem is much broader than the question of whether specific policies were triggered.
Kenya already has laws regulating hate speech and incitement to ethnic hatred. However, according to him, the key difficulty lies not in the lack of norms, but in how they are applied and in the political environment in which leaders are forced to work. «The Commission says that there are enough laws. And the clergy also remind us that even the sacred texts give us guidance on these issues. It means that we have a shortage of political incentives for tolerance», he said.
According to Mukwanji, the conversation should be conducted not only about individual cases, but also about why political intolerance is so consistently reproduced during campaigns and voter mobilization. He described it as a «political hate economy», adding that hate speech can be planned, funded, and amplified through digital platforms. «It is impossible to deal with this if you understand that it does not arise spontaneously. It's organized. It is funded. Recently, this has been especially actively accelerated in the digital environment and, of course, is being purposefully used as the elections approach», he said.
Mukwanja also noted that individual political leaders often respond to provocative statements in the same language, triggering a chain reaction that can spread from top to bottom — from the leadership to supporters. He pointed to mutual insults between high-ranking politicians and called for considering this phenomenon in a broader context, rather than limiting it to individual episodes.
The CMD representative also recalled that during some periods of the elections, Kenya experienced civil unrest with the participation of the current government, and stressed that the country should do everything possible to prevent a repeat of such a scenario in 2027.
These statements were made against the background of the activation of the National Commission for Cohesion and Integration (NCIC), which has intensified the fight against hate speech and ethnic hatred. Recently, NCIC Commissioner Jerusha Mwaathime clarified that article 13 of the NCIC Act covers statements aimed at insulting, inciting or inciting ethnic or political hatred. She also recalled that hate speech is a criminal offense and must be proven beyond reasonable doubt. In addition, the NCIC investigates the actions of political figures related to public statements and publications in the digital space.
The Office of Criminal Investigations, NCIC, the Independent Electoral and Business Commission, and the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties have formed an interagency committee to counter hate speech, ethnic hatred, and election-related violence. It is expected that these structures will work together while the parties and candidates prepare for the 2027 general elections.
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