As the country prepares for the 2022 General Election, there are calls for the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission to engage members of the political class.
Narc Kenya leader Martha has called on IEBC to engage politicians in creating policies meant to regulate the use of digital platforms.
Karua spoke during a workshop on safeguarding the digital space organized by the Center for Multiparty Democracy and the Kofi Annan Organisation.
“Why does IEBC (officials) lock themselves up at the Anniversary Towers planning the elections alone without other stakeholders then they come up with a code of conduct,” Karua said.
Karua now wants IEBC to solve political disputes holistically without having to involve the courts.
She said the remaining nine months before the election should be utilised by the commission to actively engage the public and politicians.
Karua further faulted party leaders for failing to control their party members as they campaign towards the 2022 elections.
"Political parties leadership should now punish their members who misuse digital platforms," she added.
The Communications Authority of Kenya said it will pull down inciting messages, investigate the source, file, and process evidence of the accused.
Head of cybercrime department at CA, Joseph Nzano, called for sharing useful content that will have a positive impact on the recipients.
“You should be responsible for the things you share on social media and just know that it will either have a positive or negative effect,” Nzano said.
According to the National Cohesion and Integration Commission, the number of social media users in 2017 was at least three million; in 2021 it rose to almost 11 million.
During the Covid-19 pandemic period in 2020, the number rose by two million.
The National Cohesion and Integration Commission has had three convictions since it was set up in 2008, its legal department said.
Department head Kyalo Mwengi, however, said on Friday that the commission has over 30 active cases of hate speech and ethnic contempt before the court.
He added that more than 100 others are under investigation.
He said most politicians engaging in hate speech are mostly from urban areas.
NCIC was established under the National Cohesion and Integration Act, 2008.
Mwengi said the commission will take stern action against aspirants who engage in hate speech or the offence of ethnic contempt.
After investigation, they will forward the files to the DPP for action as the country heads to elections.
