Kenya's National Steering Committee on Media Monitoring (NSCMM) has requested help from Facebook to identify 25 bloggers suspected of spreading hate speech, Kenya's The Standard reported Wednesday (February 20th).

The committee said it had identified two of the 25 anonymous bloggers whom it has been pursuing for prosecution in the past two months, adding that they will soon face charges in court.

"We are seeking closer collaboration and assistance from the management of Facebook. We also appeal to patriotic Kenyans to help us identify these offenders who hide under pseudonyms and bogus accounts," said NSCMM director Mary Ombara.

According to the NSCMM, offensive comments on ethnicity, religion, gender, race and nationality have increased during the campaigning period ahead of the March 4th elections, Kenya's Daily Nation reported.

"We urge Facebook to beef up its hate speech identification process to help us identify the 25 bloggers. The committee also makes an appeal for the pages that break the law by using fake names be brought down," Ombara said.

Kenya's National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) has also deployed 400 observers to constituencies across the country to monitor hate speech and incitement of inter-ethnic conflict.