SAM'S SENSE: The sense in tolerance

For the past many months, the space for freedom of expression has been shrinking in Kenya. We have allowed the polarising nature of politics to divide us, blind us, and even push us to hate.

Often, especially on social media, you will find Kenyans fighting each other. Fighting each other because they hold different opinions about common issues. Slowly, this has been turning into regionalism and even tribalism.

The madness of election fever is taking root many months before the General Election. And we have seen people who have been to school descending so low as to defend narratives that, in their minds, protect their political fathers. People who shared classrooms and lecture halls, consuming that which was meant to open up their minds, are turning against each other to hate and silence one another.

In all this, a great injustice is being done to Kenyans who have no way of telling what is true and what is false; what is genuine information and what is propaganda. And when those who wear designer clothes are done insulting each other on social media, they descend into dark rooms and pseudo-safe houses to organise. To organise how that which arguments in big English have not achieved can be propelled by violence.

They recruit violent individuals who can do anything as long as there is the promise of payment. Victims have been piling up — harassed, beaten and robbed. Left to count their losses for problems they did not create.

And slowly, a country descends into lawlessness, where everyone finds a way to defend themselves while no one takes responsibility for public safety.

Then I read Article 32 of the Constitution, which assures every person in Kenya of freedom of conscience and opinion. No one can limit a person's thoughts. No one can limit another person's opinion. If anyone wishes, they should provide information to persuade them to think otherwise.

When you keep reading the Constitution, you land at Article 33 — the famous article on freedom of expression. A golden provision that protects everyone to say that which they believe to be true. That is how all persons in Kenya — young and old, men and women, office executives and farmhands — are free to seek information, receive information, or impart information and ideas.

It is not freedom of expression when one promotes propaganda for war, incites others to violence, promotes hate whether in person, online or through action, or advocates for hatred, including ethnic incitement, vilification of others, or incitement to cause harm. That is not freedom of expression, and it is not protected by the Constitution.

Yet many, especially in the political class, are promoting this. They are busy profiling regions, tribes, economic classes and more. And nobody seems to care.

This is a call to conscience for every adult in Kenya. And yes, it can be confusing to use the term "adult" in some quarters, but to anyone above 18 years, we have work to do.

We owe a duty of care to our country, our generation and future generations.

Let people be. Let people hold their opinions. Persuade them and allow them to differ with you if they are not convinced. Tolerate their existence, however irritating it might be. Because, as a former president once said, they were not created for you.

"Democracy cannot operate unless we are tolerant. You tolerate your friend, your neighbour, to hold an opinion different from yours. You don’t have to call him names. He has a right to differ from you. That is his fundamental right. And he was not made to be managed by you or guided by you," late President Mwai Kibaki said.