Two Challenge Ban of “Hatupangwingwi” Phrase in Court

Two lawyers; Felix Kiprono and Vincent Yegon, have launched a lawsuit challenging the designation of ‘hatupangwingwi’ as a hate word.

Last week, the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) released a list of terms and phrases that it believes could propagate hate during the electioneering period.

According to NCIC chairman Samuel Kobia, coded communications are written in English, Kiswahili, Sheng’, Kikuyu, Meru, and Kalenjin.

Fumigation, uncircumcised, eradicate, and kill are some of the words the commission highlighted.

Read: Here’s A List of Coded Phrases Linked to Hate Speech by NCIC

The panel found words like kaffir (disbeliever), madoadoa (dots), chunga kura (secure votes), and mende in Swahili (cockroach).

According to Kobia, the term kaffir is a derogatory phrase that refers to non-Muslim groups, whereas Madoadoa is a term that refers to non-natives.

Other terms that the commission flagged included watu wa kurusha mawe (people who throw stones) saying it refers to a community that is perceived to resolve their disputes by attacking others using 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), hatupangwingwi (No one can plan for us), kama noma, noma kama mbaya, mbaya (if it is bad, then it is bad).

Read Also: Raila Summoned by NCIC Over Madoadoa Remarks

Kikuyu word kihii (uncircumcised) was also banned, with Kobia saying it is demeaning and aims to humiliate and terrorise not just men, but their entire communities.

Kobia said uthamaki ni witu (the kingdom is ours) has also been used to refer to the notion that the Kikuyu should remain as the ruling class.

In Kalenjin, words like Kimurkelde (brown teeth) have been termed by the commission as inciting.

Otutu labotonik (uproot the weed) and Ngetiik (uncircumcised) has also been flagged.

‘Hatupangwingwi,’ which is associated with Deputy President William Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza alliance, is among the words and phrases.

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