NCIC releases list of words it has banned ahead of the elections

The National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) has released a list of words which it has deemed inciteful and altogether banned from use ahead of the 2022 elections.

NCIC chairperson Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia, in a presser, described the words as coded messages which can be used to incite hatred and violence, despite them being from various Kenyan dialects.

“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; English, Kiswahili, Sheng, Kikuyu, Kalenjin and non-verbal nods,” Dr Kobia stated.

The words in the list include the Swahili words:-

madoadoa (spots)
watu wa kurusha mawe (those who throw stones)
watajua hawajui (they won't know what hit them)
wabara waende kwao (leave the Coast)
kaffir (pagan)
chunga kura (guard the vote)
wakuja (foreigners)
chinja kafir (eliminate pagans)
kwekwe (weeds)
mende (cockroach)

Sheng phrases such as:-

kama noma noma (no matter what)
kama mbaya mbaya (no matter what)
operation linda kura
hatupangwingwi (can't tell me nothing)

Kikuyu words kihii (young boy) and uthamaki ni witu (the throne is ours) and Kalenjin words kimurkeldet (brown teeth), otutu labotonik (uproot the weed) were also on the list.

English words were also not left out as fumigation, eliminate and kill were put on the watchlist.

Dr Kobia stated that the Commission was going to monitor social media conveying that Facebook has so far emerged as the major platform used to spread hate followed by Twitter.

"We monitored Facebook, Twitter, YouTube among other social media platforms. The highest number that we identified to be spreading hate/incitement was Facebook followed by Twitter. In addition, we also received emails from the general public reporting complaint," he stated.

Kobia said the commission had intensified the campaign for a violence-free election and said the commission called for political tolerance in the campaign and even election period.

“We have intensified our programs to ensure this goal is attained. We call for an end of divisive talks and call for political tolerance," he stated.

Several politicians have found themselves in the Commission's crosshairs for using politically non-tolerant words, they include Meru Senator Mithika Linturi and Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party leader Raila Odinga.