National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) Chairman Francis Ole Kaparo (L) and Vice Chairperson Irene Wanyoike (C), address the press, July 13, 2017. [Photo|@NCIC_Kenya]Administrators of social media platforms, such as Facebook and WhatsApp will be held accountable for hate messages posted in their forums. The National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) has warned.
Chairman Francis Ole Kaparo cautioned Kenyans against propagating hate messages on social media as the August 8 general election nears.
He said the commission is closely monitoring Facebook, WhatsApp, and Twitter platforms to curb cases of hate speech and incitement.
"Currently, we have 27 cases under prosecution in the courts. We have identified at least 176 social media accounts of most common perpetrators of hate speech," Kaparo said, Thursday.
Addressing the press alongside NCIC Vice Chairperson Irene Wanyoike, Kaparo said the commission will not spare any social media administrator with hate messages on their forums.
"We have intensified crackdown on hate mongers in social media and several arrests have been made. Administrators of social media platforms will be held accountable for hate messages posted in their forums," he added.
Kaparo further indicated that 12 national and 36 county-based Facebook groups were being monitored closely.