Civil Society raise hate speech alarm ahead of August polls
Civil society groups are concerned with the increase of fake news and hate speech content on social media, days to the August 9, 2022 polls.
Under the Uwiano Platform which brings together various actors, including government agencies advocating for peace in the polls, the group said Kenyans should desist from social media hate.
“There has been an emergence of old videos from the past electoral violence as experienced in 2007 and 2008 being used to incite communities against each other. The opening of old, wounds only serves to spur ethnic animosity and hatred,” said National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) chairman Samuel Kobia.
Kobia cautioned Kenyans against what he said is the revival of old videos depicted as new and shared online to spread hate and disinformation.
He noted the increase of misinformation, disinformation and propaganda on social media spaces targeting political candidates, political parties and political coalitions, and the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission.
To mitigate this issues, the Uwiano Platform has come up with different solutions to curb what is affecting the people of Kenya now that we are almost the Election day.
“We have Launched the National Peace and Mediation Team to consolidate various mediation efforts in Kenya. The team comprising of 15 eminent Kenyans from the faith communities, academia, business, military and media. They will coordinate the mediation agenda in the 2022 electoral period.”
Civil society groups are also conducting community dialogues in Baringo, Marsabit, Isiolo, Bungoma, Kakamega, Migori, Kisumu, Eldoret, Mombasa and Nairobi Counties.