The National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) has urged young people in Kisumu to reject political violence and take an active role in promoting peaceful coexistence ahead of the 2027 General Election.
NCIC Commissioner Jerusah Mwaathime said the youth had pledged not to allow themselves to be recruited into violence by politicians but would instead use their social media platforms to promote peace, truth and responsible online engagement.
Speaking in Kisumu on Thursday after a two-day youth café engagement forum, Mwaathime said participants had expressed their willingness to partner with the Commission to promote peaceful elections before, during and after the polls.
“The young people of Kisumu have told us that Kisumu is going to be the hub of peace. They have assured us that they will not be recruited into violence, no matter who it is or what they are promised by politicians,” she said.
Mwaathime said the participants had also pledged to honour the legacy of the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga by rejecting violent demonstrations and embracing peaceful dialogue.
She noted that the youth had committed to creating peace-related content on their social media platforms while ensuring the platforms were not used to spread propaganda, misinformation or messages that could incite violence.
The Commissioner said the engagement was part of the NCIC’s roadmap, dubbed Uchaguzi Bila Noma, which seeks to promote violence-free general elections in 2027.
She identified youth vulnerability to political manipulation as one of the major obstacles to peaceful elections, saying sustained engagement with young people was central to the Commission’s peacebuilding strategy.
Mwaathime said the Commission wanted young people to participate actively in peace initiatives rather than be exploited to fuel political tensions.
She cited the country’s youthful population as a compelling reason to involve young people in promoting national cohesion, noting that those aged between zero and 35 years account for approximately 75 per cent of Kenya’s population, according to figures presented during the engagement.
Participants at the forum expressed their willingness to serve as peace ambassadors and share the lessons learnt with other young people in their communities.
The Commissioner called on the youth to use their influence constructively, particularly on social media, where political messages can spread rapidly and potentially heighten tensions during the electioneering period.
On concerns about the Commission’s ability to hold political leaders accountable for inflammatory remarks, Mwaathime said the NCIC operated within the provisions of the National Cohesion and Integration Act, No. 12 of 2008.
The law seeks to promote national unity, peaceful coexistence and integration among Kenya’s ethnic and racial communities. It also prohibits ethnic discrimination and provides the legal framework for the Commission to address complaints relating to ethnic hostility and discrimination.
The NCIC has faced public scrutiny over allegations that some politicians considered politically influential have escaped accountability despite remarks perceived to fuel violence.
Mwaathime explained that the Commission’s enforcement powers were guided by the law and that not every inflammatory political statement necessarily met the legal threshold for prosecution under legislation addressing ethnic hatred.
Section 13 of the Act criminalises the use of threatening, abusive or insulting words or material where the intention is to stir up ethnic hatred, or where such hatred is likely to be stirred up in the circumstances.
Section 62 addresses conduct involving the promotion of contempt, hatred, hostility, violence or discrimination on grounds of ethnicity or race.
“The law that Parliament gives you is what you implement. You cannot go outside the law,” she said.
The Commissioner explained that where political remarks lacked the required ethnic or racial element, they might not qualify for prosecution under the relevant provisions, even if they were considered inflammatory.
She said the Commission was seeking amendments through a new bill intended to expand its mandate and strengthen its capacity to address hate speech and other conduct threatening national cohesion. The proposed legislation was nearing its third reading, she added.
Mwaathime said criminal prosecution required evidence sufficient to prove the alleged offence beyond reasonable doubt, meaning investigators had to establish all the necessary legal elements of a case.
Where remarks did not meet the criminal threshold, she said, the Commission could pursue alternative interventions, including conciliation, mediation, arbitration and peacebuilding initiatives.
She added that the NCIC had issued determinations in cases involving several political leaders and was pursuing corrective measures, including retractions, apologies and peacebuilding activities.
The Commissioner maintained that the Commission applied the law impartially and expected individuals summoned to appear before it to cooperate with the process.
The NCIC was established under the National Cohesion and Integration Act, No. 12 of 2008, following the 2007–2008 post-election violence, and began operations in 2009.
By Mabel Keya-Shikuku, Dorothy Pamella and Amanda Ijai Wamalwa
