NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 5 – The National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) has urged Kenyans to exercise vigilance and be ready to report threats to peace in their communities, in next week’s polls.
The Commission’s Chairperson Samuel Kobia on Friday advised Kenyans to maintain peace even when contesting election disputes and malpractices and encouraged them to use peaceful and legal means to seek redress while doing so.
Kobia, who was speaking after a joint meeting with elections stakeholders on how to enhance cohesion and political decency, said toll-free number 108 will be open for reporting any cases.
“Since elections are now just 4 days away, we as peace actors would like to call on other peace actors and Kenyans to intensify vigilance and be ready to report any threats to peace in their communities. Remember you can send a text to the toll-free. number 108,” Kobia stated.
Kobia called for close monitoring of online spaces saying that these are the main channels for propagating hate speech and incitement to violence.
He also implored law enforcement agencies and human rights organizations to devise mechanisms to mitigate the negative use of these spaces and catalyse prosecutions for incitement to violence without discrimination based on political affiliation.
“The Uwiano Platform for Peace would therefore like to call for Close monitoring of all social media spaces, including the dark spaces like political WhatsApp and Telegram groups,” he stated.
“We ask the international community to be ready and release
emergency support and response to areas that may experience any form of electoral disturbances,”
Police Spokesperson Bruno Shioso assured Kenyans that their security is a top priority during the electioneering period, noting that they are prepared to deploy at least 150,000 police officers to provide security during the August
9 General Election.
“Kenyans should not fear but rather confidently play their role in the elections and leave everything else to the agencies charged with security to do their part,” stated Shioso.
