NCIC rolls out social media monitoring guidelines
By Babu Tendu, January 20, 2026The National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, rolled out the social media monitoring guidelines for hate speech and radical ideologies.
According to a statement posted on the official X handle of the commission, NCIC Director of Investigation James Wanyande stressed the importance of social media use and urged individuals to avoid incitement through hate speech, pinpointing it as a major cause of ethnic clashes.
“Today, the NCIC officially rolled out documents, including the Social Media Monitoring Guidelines, the Kenya National Action Plan on Hate Speech and Radical Ideologies, and the Gender Analysis Report.”
“NCIC Director of Investigations, Mr James Wanyande, emphasised the importance of responsible social media use, urging individuals to avoid incitement that could lead to hate speech and ethnic clashes,” part of the statement read.
Collaboration with ODPP, IEBC
The presence of Jacqueline Muthoni, a prosecutor from the Directorate of Public Procecutions highlighted their collaboration with NCIC in establishing court guidelines for handling hate speech cases.
The statement further indicated the presence of the acting Director for Voter Education and Partnerships, Joyce Ekuam, who pointed out the need for peace within borders using these documents.
“Additionally, the @IEBCKenya was represented by Acting Director for Voter Education and Partnerships, Ms Joyce Ekuam, who underscored the need for peace within our borders through the implementation of these documents,” the statement added.
In addition to launching the guidelines, NCIC warned against rising animosity in the political arena and called for restraint.
The National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) is a statutory body established under the National Cohesion and Integration Act (No. 12 of 2008). It was created following the 2007/2008 post-election violence to address the deep-seated ethnic tensions and discrimination that had threatened the country’s stability.
Its primary mandate is to facilitate and promote equality of opportunity, good relations, harmony, and peaceful coexistence among people of different ethnic and racial communities in Kenya.