NCIC Names 6 High Risk Counties Ahead of Elections

An identified man facing law enforcement officers during the past election period
An identified man facing law enforcement officers during the past election period
File

The National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) has listed six counties including Nairobi and Mombasa as the most prone to election-related violence.

According to a report released on Tuesday, May 31, the counties have been marked as high risk areas, with possibilities of suffering elections-related violence being very high.

Nairobi county was ranked first with a prevalence rate of 79.85 per cent. Other counties include Nakuru, Kericho, Kisumu, Uasin Gishu and Mombasa.

File photo of Kenyans in a queue waiting to cast their vote in a past election.
Kenyans in a queue waiting to cast their vote in a past election.
Photo

"Out of the 47 counties of Kenya, six are likely to experience electoral violence in the forthcoming General Election," NCIC stated.

NCIC commissioner, Danvas Makori, explained that Nairobi emerged as the top county likely to experience chaos due to the beehive of political activities that take place in different areas within the city.

"Nairobi county, with a KEVI-C score of 79.89 per cent, at the highest risk of experiencing electoral violence come August 2022. Nairobi is seen as the epicenter of political contestation in Kenya," Makori explained.

It was followed by Nakuru at 75.77 per cent , Kericho at 74.81 per cent and Kisumu at 74.26 per cent.

Uasin Gishu and Mombasa were placed fifth and sixth with 72.25 per cent and 71.15 per cent respectively.

The report further listed 10 counties including Narok, Marsabit, Laikipia, Lamu, Baringo, Isiolo, Meru, Nandi, Samburu, and Bomet, as medium high risk areas likely to face electoral-related violence.

The report by NCIC is aimed at helping stakeholders prepare in handling cases that arise before or after elections.

The report is also used by law enforcement officers in preparing for deployments and planning other election-related activities.

This comes two months after NCIC banned 23 words that are considered as hate speech or bordering incitement to violence.

The words banned for use in English included fumigation, eliminate and kill. 

Words banned in Swahili include Kaffir (derived from the Arabic term Kafir which means disbeliever or one who conceals the truth), madoadoa (dots), chunga kura (secure the vote), mende (cockroach ), watu wa kurusha mawe (people who throw stones), watajua hawajui (they will know that they do not know), wabara waende kwao (people from off the coast should go back to their homes), wakuja (those that come), Chinja Kafir (kill the infidel) and kwekwe (weeds).

Graphic representation of places mapped out by NCIC to be High Risk of facing electoral violence ahead of August 9, General Election
Graphic representation of places mapped out by NCIC to be at High Risk of facing electoral violence ahead of August 9, General Election.
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