NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 16 – The National Cohesion and
Integration Commission (NCIC) has withdrawn a conciliation agreement it
made with Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria over hate speech, citing
continued posting of offensive messages.
NCIC Chairman Francis ole Kaparo said a full board of the commission also resolved that the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) continues with Kuria’s case to full hearing.
“The commission has regretfully observed that the Hon. Kuria has not exhibited a conciliatory demeanour in his social media accounts. While the conciliation process has been in progress, Hon. Kuria has continued to post material on his social media accounts that in the opinion of the commission may cause disharmony and are in contradiction of the spirit of conciliation,” he said.
Kaparo added: “Considering these latest developments, a full commission meeting was held on the 15th January, 2015 wherein in was resolved that the commission withdraw from the conciliation process and allow the case to proceed to its logical conclusion through the judicial process.”
Kaparo said Kuria had shown that he has no intention whatsoever to desist from contravening Section 13 of the National Cohesion and Integration Act which criminalises the use of threatening, abusive or insulting words, acts or materials liable to stir up ethnic hatred.
The commission had on Monday said it would support a pardon against the Gatundu South MP who is facing charges of incitement to violence, hate speech and ethnic contempt.
Kuria had agreed to issue a public apology over his utterances in the aftermath of terror attacks in Mandera in 2014 which he published in the media.
At the meeting attended by LSK Chief Executive Officer Apollo Mboya, Kuria also committed to engage in national integration efforts being spearheaded by the National Cohesion and Integration Commission.
However, there was public outcry that given his history of repeated incidents of hate speech, had Kuria gotten off too easily.
The matter is expected back in court on February 17.
Kaparo says the commission decision is not a face- saving exercise but is due to the fact that Kuria has continued to post offensive materials on the social media accounts.
“There is no face I am saving, my face is intact, and it has never been distorted and will never be distorted because I will not allow it to be distorted. What I am telling you about our withdrawal from the case of Moses Kuria is factual,” he said while fielding questions reporters.
Kaparo clarified NCIC has nothing to do with Kuria’s social media accounts being shut down.
NCIC Chairman Francis ole Kaparo said a full board of the commission also resolved that the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) continues with Kuria’s case to full hearing.
“The commission has regretfully observed that the Hon. Kuria has not exhibited a conciliatory demeanour in his social media accounts. While the conciliation process has been in progress, Hon. Kuria has continued to post material on his social media accounts that in the opinion of the commission may cause disharmony and are in contradiction of the spirit of conciliation,” he said.
Kaparo added: “Considering these latest developments, a full commission meeting was held on the 15th January, 2015 wherein in was resolved that the commission withdraw from the conciliation process and allow the case to proceed to its logical conclusion through the judicial process.”
Kaparo said Kuria had shown that he has no intention whatsoever to desist from contravening Section 13 of the National Cohesion and Integration Act which criminalises the use of threatening, abusive or insulting words, acts or materials liable to stir up ethnic hatred.
The commission had on Monday said it would support a pardon against the Gatundu South MP who is facing charges of incitement to violence, hate speech and ethnic contempt.
Kuria had agreed to issue a public apology over his utterances in the aftermath of terror attacks in Mandera in 2014 which he published in the media.
At the meeting attended by LSK Chief Executive Officer Apollo Mboya, Kuria also committed to engage in national integration efforts being spearheaded by the National Cohesion and Integration Commission.
However, there was public outcry that given his history of repeated incidents of hate speech, had Kuria gotten off too easily.
The matter is expected back in court on February 17.
Kaparo says the commission decision is not a face- saving exercise but is due to the fact that Kuria has continued to post offensive materials on the social media accounts.
“There is no face I am saving, my face is intact, and it has never been distorted and will never be distorted because I will not allow it to be distorted. What I am telling you about our withdrawal from the case of Moses Kuria is factual,” he said while fielding questions reporters.
Kaparo clarified NCIC has nothing to do with Kuria’s social media accounts being shut down.
No comments:
Post a Comment