The National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) has released a list of popular terms used in the political scene that will now be considered as hate speech.
According to the commission, this was necessary due to the rising political temperature in the country ahead of the general elections. And the terms may contain coded messages which may likely disintegrate the diverse communities.
Several politicians have gotten into trouble for using certain terms during their campaigns. Among them bring Mitheka Linturi and Raila Odinga for using madoadoa.
NCIC chairperson Samuel Kobia had laid out a list of twenty-three words that have been banned. The NCIC has classified terms, which have been regularly used in Kenya’s political landscape with the intent to provoke violence among various communities of diverse political viewpoints, Kobia stated.
He added that: “We have classified these terms as coded messages which can be used to activate hatred, and consciously eliminate other communities. These terms are in various languages including English, Kiswahili, Sheng, Kikuyu, Kalenjin and Non-verbal nods.”
The terms
Sheng words which have been flagged include Kama noma noma, Kama mbaya mbaya (If it is bad, then it is bad), Hatupangwingwi (No one can arrange us) and operation Linda Kura (secure the vote).
The words banned for use in English include fumigation, eliminate and kill. Words banned in Swahili include, watu wa kurusha mawe (people who throw stones), watajua hawajui (they will know that they do not know), wabara waende kwao (people from off the coast should go back to their homes), Kaffir (which means disbeliever or one who conceals the truth), madoadoa (dots), chunga kura (secure the vote), mende (cockroach ), wakuja (those that come), Chinja Kafir (kill the infidel) and kwekwe (weeds).
In Kikuyu, the words include Kihii (uncircumcised man), Uthamaki ni witu (the Kingdom is ours), and Mwiji in Kimeru (uncircumcised man).
Others include Kimurkeldet (brown teeth), Otutu labotonik (uproot the weed), and Ngetiik (Uncircumcised).
Kobia however insisted that the lexicon should not be considered a comprehensive list of hate speech. Because some of the words might be used innocently and out of context.
“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.
Persons found using the said terms will be listed on NCIC’s wall of shame ahead of the polls.
What are your thoughts on this list?