Ahead of the August 8 elections, the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) and The Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) have published guidelines aimed at restricting the use of social media for political messages. This includes sharing incendiary, content via Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp.
According to commission chair Francis Kaparo, the guidelines seek to prevent the transmission of undesirable political content using text messages and social media posts. Social media users posting political content will also be required to reveal their identities and any political affiliations.
The guidelines dictate that no bulk text messages will be in vernacular. In 2008, over 1,300 lives were lost due to post-election related violence that was largely blamed on hate speech.
In terms of the guidelines, those who contravene its provisions will face a minimum fine of Sh1 million or a jail term not exceeding three years or both. The guidelines indicate that persons who wish to share political content and are unsure about its authenticity they should first get permission from the NCIC 48 hours prior to posting the content.
Social media users posting political content will also be required to reveal their identities and any political affiliations. Users are also required to ensure that their posts are honest and accurate.
The NCIC gave Kenyans until Tuesday, 4 July to submit comments and share their views on the new guidelines.
Staff Writer
