Boinnet says nobody will be spared in the crackdown/FILE
NAIROBI, Kenya, Nov 15 – Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinnet on Tuesday morning warned anyone engaging in hate speech of dire consequences.
The tough talking Boinnet said police had intensified their watch and anyone found inciting the public ahead of next year’s General Election will face the full force of the law.
“If you engage in hate speech, get ready for the consequences. This time round we are not sparing anybody, not anyone at all,” he warned.
Boinnet spoke few days after Jim Ayungo, a parliamentary aspirant was captured on video vowing to lead mass protests if CORD leader Raila Odinga loses next year’s election.
READ: Aspirant filmed urging protests if Raila loses 2017 wanted by police
“Don’t engage in hate speech and disappear to your rural homeland, saying you are hiding yourself, why are you hiding… why did you engage in hate speech?” he queried.
Ayungo has since then gone into hiding but police have launched a manhunt after he was summoned to record a statement and failed to show up.
Having been through a nasty history of violence during election years, hate speech has been identified as one of the catalysts that leads to heightened political tension that usually results to hostility.
Memories of the 2007/8 Post Election Violence have remained a constant reminder and a caution to Kenyans to refrain from divisive talk that contributed to the deaths of more than 1,000 people and displacement of over 650,000 others.
Use of hate speech is condemned in the country’s constitution with an emphasis also made in the National Cohesion and Integration Commission.
Though attempts have been made to deal with hate speech in the country especially after eight politicians spent nights in cells and were fined in June this year, reckless remarks likely to cause divisions among Kenyans have not ceased.
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