NAIROBI, Kenya – The National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) has urged church leaders to take firm action against politicians who use places of worship to spread hate speech, incitement and divisive messages ahead of the 2027 General Election.
NCIC Chairperson Bishop Dr Kepha Nyamweya Omae said religious leaders have the authority to prevent politicians from turning church platforms into spaces for promoting narratives that could fuel hatred and division.
Omae challenged church leaders to be courageous and intervene whenever politicians cross the line, including switching off microphones during worship services.
“Servants of God, I want to implore you that in case a politician comes to your Church in the name of worship but actually with a hidden motive, you have the right to stop such a leader from uttering narratives which are of hate speech and incitement,” Omae said.
He cited instances where church technical teams have switched off microphones when political leaders delivered inappropriate messages during services.
“You have the power, like some of us have done, where actually the technical crew that provides sound switches off the microphone and the man of God takes his mic and continues with the service,” he said.
NCIC urges churches to confront hate speech
Omae said religious leaders should not remain silent when politicians use church gatherings to promote inflammatory messages.
He warned that silence should not be interpreted as acceptance and urged faith leaders to use their influence to protect national cohesion.
The NCIC chairperson said churches should remain places where communities can come together rather than platforms for political rhetoric capable of deepening divisions ahead of the elections.
He also called on politicians to exercise greater responsibility in their public statements, warning that inflammatory language from political leaders could trigger hatred and destruction.
“Let us have responsibility in speech and call on the political class to train their tongues, as once wrongly used has a potential of igniting hatred that could lead to destruction,” he said.
Social media hate speech also under scrutiny
The NCIC chairperson further warned that the commission was concerned about the growing spread of hate speech, misinformation, disinformation, propaganda and inflammatory rhetoric in digital spaces.
He stressed that the law applies to hate speech shared online just as it does to verbal hate speech.
According to Omae, social media users should not assume that anonymous accounts or the use of pseudonyms can shield them from accountability.
“The law that applies to hate speech that is verbalised applies to hate speech written on social media. Hiding behind the keyboard will not protect perpetrators from being sought and investigated with a view to prosecuting them,” he said.
The commission is engaging different stakeholders as part of efforts to address harmful online content and identify individuals suspected of violating the law.
Religious leaders urged to protect national cohesion
Omae’s remarks come as Kenya prepares for the 2027 General Election, with concerns growing over political competition, misinformation, hate speech and the mobilisation of communities along identity lines.
The NCIC is urging religious leaders to play a stronger role in promoting peaceful political participation and preventing places of worship from being exploited for divisive political messaging.
Faith leaders, he said, have both the influence and responsibility to challenge politicians who promote narratives capable of creating hostility between communities.
The commission wants churches and other religious institutions to ensure that political participation does not undermine national cohesion.
