The National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) in Kenya has addressed claims that it cleared Homa Bay Town MP Peter Kaluma and Busia Governor Paul Otuoma of controversy. NCIC Chairperson Dr. Kepha Omae stated that investigations into public remarks made by both leaders found them to have made statements that could incite hostility. The commission's findings were not about exonerating the leaders but about taking necessary actions to prevent further conflict.
According to Dr. Omae, the NCIC conducted thorough investigations into the statements made by Kaluma and Otuoma. The commission evaluated the leaders' defenses before issuing its final decisions. In Kaluma's case, the NCIC determined that his speech was "intemperate, ambiguous, and dangerous." The commission noted that it created an appreciable risk of political intimidation.
The NCIC also examined Otuoma's comments and flagged them as threatening and exclusionary. The commission stated that Otuoma's comments were likely to stir hostility against residents and traders perceived as outsiders due to their ethnic or national background. The NCIC took these findings seriously and issued immediate cessation notices to both leaders.
The commission instructed both leaders to carry out specific corrective actions. These mandates require public clarifications, the immediate withdrawal or correction of harmful messaging, and community peace initiatives funded at the respondents' own expense. The NCIC emphasized that it neither endorsed nor excused their language.
Dr. Omae urged news organizations covering the case to clearly distinguish between statutory conciliation steps and the commission's underlying adverse findings. He explained that reporting only that the respondents were "cleared" gives the public a materially incomplete and misleading account.
The NCIC operates under strict statutory guidelines, including Section 61(2) of the National Cohesion and Integration Act. This provision mandates that once investigations confirm a violation under Part III of the Act, the agency must make all reasonable efforts to resolve the matter through conciliation.
The commission has requested media houses that published inaccurate characterizations to issue prompt corrections with visual prominence comparable to their initial reports. Omae requested that future news coverage simultaneously highlight the commission's adverse findings, statutory outcomes, and required corrective actions.
Key points
- NCIC found Kaluma and Otuoma's statements to be intemperate and threatening.
- The commission issued immediate cessation notices and corrective actions.
- NCIC urged accurate reporting of its decisions and actions.