NCIC vice chairperson Milly Lwanga said that the use of coded language and stereotypes makes it harder for the NCIC to do its job;
“We commissioned this study because of the realisation that the work we started three-and-a-half years ago of trying to highlight to Kenyans the danger of hate speech is now threatened by coded language and stereotypes,” he said.
Lwanga said that Kenyans have become more aware of the danger of being censored for hate speech and are now using coded language to conceal it;
“Particularly now as we get into the elections, people are more aware of the comprehensive monitoring programme going on and are increasingly using coded language and stereotypes to try and isolate communities,” she added.
By way of an example Lwanga said that some people refer to Kikuyus as “thieves” to mean that they can’t be trusted and Luos as “uncircumcised” to portray the Luo “as children, premature and not fully developed".
“When such references are used, people tend to believe that that is the truth about that community,” she explained.
Other descriptors that Kenyans throw around for other communities are “animals, smelly, foolish and bushmen.”
Lwanga however added that not all stereotypes are negative;
“There are communities that are referred to in certain ways and it is very progressive and industrious ways creating unity,” she said.
“There are some that are thought of as loyal people, others educated and entrepreneurial, which give them good vibes and encourage other communities to relate with them.”
