NAIROBI, Kenya, April 8 – Hatupangwingwi is one of the Lexicon words the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) has released that it terms as hate speech.
Speaking during a press conference, the Commission’s chairman Samuel Kobia stated that politicians should also avoid the use of words like Madodadoa, Operation Linda Kura and Fumigation.
“It is crystal clear that we chose to create a list of words that we know are problematic in how they are used in the 2022 campaigns,” he stated.
“These are not words we have chosen because we feel like but rather, they are words we have listed because we followed conversations and how those conversations have been framed towards violence.”
The lexicon which the NCIC has dubbed ‘Hatelex’ includes words and terms from English, Kiswahili, Sheng, Kikuyu, Meru, and Kalenjin.
“Words in the English language include fumigation and uncircumcised. Those in Swahili include chunga kura, Madoadoa, watajua hawajui and Mende while in Sheng we have terms such as hatupangwingwi and kama mbaya mbaya,” stated Kobia.
Other words include eliminate, kwekwe, chinja kafir, watu wa kurusha mawe and kill.
Further, he insisted that there was no political motivation while choosing the lexicon.
“We are fully aware that politicians will try to say that we are targeting their slogans, but this isn’t about slogans but rather how those are used and what is currently obtained. Any word here listed is a word that has been used as a tool to rally hate against a group of people. We will not sit and twiddle our thumbs as words are used to ignite our country,” he stated.
Kobia also indicated that the enforcement of the lexicon gets bearing from the NCIC Act as well as the constitution which appreciates that hate speech is an exception to freedom of expression.
Thus, anyone who uses the words and terms listed in the lexicon will answer for it through action from the relevant law enforcement mechanism.
