Deadly crackdown follows 2024 mass protests, surge in femicides sparks more protests

General Update

In the latest 2024 People Power Under Attack report, released by CIVICUS in December 2024, Kenya was downgraded from the Obstructed to Repressed category, signalling a significant deterioration in civic space, which has continued to date.

The #RejectFinanceBill2024 movement, previously documented on the Monitor, gathered thousands on the streets in June 2024 to protest against the controversial Finance Bill and its heavy tax implications. Police used excessive and brutal force, including by deploying snipers to shoot peaceful and unarmed protesters, while other police officers, wearing plainclothes and facemasks and in unmarked vehicles, shot live ammunition and tear gas directly at people, including medical personnel and journalists. National security and intelligence operatives arrested and abducted protesters, including social media influencers who had been vocal in supporting the protests, on allegations of leading and funding the protests. According to the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights, as of 31st October 2024, at least 60 people had been killed, and 82 cases of enforced or involuntary disappearances documented as at 26th December 2024. While the government reported in September 2024 that at least 1,208 people had been arrested during the protests, and at least 132 were missing, civil society groups have estimated the numbers to be much higher. Bodies of some of those reported missing have been found in abandoned quarries, forests, rivers and mortuaries, showing signs of torture, with some mutilated and dismembered.

On 9th October 2024, the UN General Assembly elected Kenya to the Human Rights Council for the 2025-2027 term. Civil society organisations, including Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC), strongly opposed Kenya's membership due to ongoing human rights violations that followed the youth-led nationwide protests that began in June 2024. They highlighted police brutality during mass anti-government demonstrations since June and questioned Kenya's commitment to investigating these crimes, to prevent future torture, and ensure accountability. Despite these concerns, Kenya pledged to adhere to international human rights obligations and implement decisions from the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights and the African Court on Human Rights.

On 21st September 2024, significant violations, including extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests, abductions of activists, and police brutality, were highlighted during the fourth Civic Space Protection Summit in Kenya. Speakers emphasised their deep concern over the government’s disregard for the Constitution, independent oversight of organisations, and civil society.

In February 2025, the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), a global network of investigative journalists, ranked Kenyan President William Ruto as the first runner-up of the "Most Corrupt Person of the Year (2024)," coming second only to deposed Syrian president Bashar al-Assad. The OCCRP opened public nominations for the title in November, receiving a record-breaking 40,000 nominations for Ruto. While Ruto received the most votes, OCCRP ultimately named al-Assad as the most corrupt, citing his significant role in perpetuating organised crime and corruption worldwide.

In separate developments, Kenya recorded its worst year for documented femicides in 2024, with approximately 170 reported cases. The numbers highlight a growing crisis of violence against women and girls, with young women aged 18 to 35 being the most affected. According to reports, intimate partner violence remains the leading cause of these deaths. According to the national police service, at least 97 women were killed in femicide attacks between August and October. While these figures are alarming, experts caution that the actual number of femicide cases is likely much higher due to underreporting. Many cases go un-investigated or are classified under different categories, masking the true extent of gender-based violence in the country.

In positive developments, on 17th October 2024, the EU Special Representative for Human Rights emphasised the significance of Kenya as the first African state to adopt a National Action Plan for implementing the United Nations guiding principles on business and human rights at the 3rd African Business and Human Rights Forum in Nairobi. The representative highlighted new EU legislation, including the Directive on Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence, which mandates large companies to mitigate human rights impacts along their value chains, applicable to both European and non-European firms.

Peaceful Assembly

June mass protests continue through July, August 2024

On 16th July 2024, police in Kenya fired tear gas and water cannon to disperse anti-government protests in Nairobi where demonstrators accused officers of inciting violence. Protests erupted in at least 23 counties and resulted in injuries, including a journalist who was shot by police. In Kitengela, a Reuters reporter witnessed a protester’s body with a head wound.

On 23rd July 2024, Kisumu police arrested human rights defender Ogutu Boniface during a protest on poor governance and transferred him to Vihiga Police Station, where four officers tortured him and recorded the abuse on their phones. They punched and strangled him, pierced his finger and struck his head and nose, causing bleeding and soft tissue injuries. The officers demanded Ogutu reveal his phone password and stop mobilising protests. On 24th July 2024, the court ordered Ogutu be taken to hospital before entering any plea.

On 25th July 2024, authorities arrested several individuals, including human rights activist Boniface Mwangi, while they led a protest demanding justice for recent victims in the finance bill protests. Caroline Nduku Mutisya, the mother of Ericson Mutisya, who was killed by police, and two relatives of Evans Kiratu, who died from tear gas exposure, were also detained. Similarly, prominent supporter of the protests Shadrack Kiprono, known as Shad Khalif, was arrested and later transferred to JKIA Police Station, where he was released on 26th July 2024. On 3rd September 2024, Mwangi, Albert Wambugu, Robert Otieno, Pablo Chacha and Erot Franco appeared in the Milimani Law Courts. The Court rejected the prosecution's request for an additional two weeks to conclude investigations and released them unconditionally.

On 8th August 2024, Kenyan police fired volleys of tear gas and set up roadblocks in central Nairobi to disperse small groups of protesters gathered to demand President William Ruto’s resignation. This “Nane Nane” demonstration, meaning “eight eight” (symbolic of the protest date 8/8/2024), followed weeks of similar protests which pressured the government to withdraw some tax proposals and led to a cabinet reshuffle.

High Court rules against use of unidentified police officers in protest policing

On 14th August 2024, the High Court in Nairobi issued a ruling directing all police officers to wear name tags and uniforms when policing protests, and mandated that plainclothes officers must not conceal their identities. The court also emphasised that the national police service must ensure that the identification, registration or markings of any vehicles used during protests are visible. This ruling came after allegations that the national police service allowed officers to wear face masks while enforcing arrests during the anti-finance bill 2024 protests, as previously documented on the Monitor. Several videos had emerged showing plain clothed individuals, believed to be police officers, forcefully abducting protesters.

Surge in Abductions sparks protests

Since the anti-finance bill protests in June 2024, Kenya has witnessed a surge in abductions and enforced disappearances. The Kenya National Human Rights Commission documented 82 cases as at 26th December 2024, with 29 individuals still missing. Government critics have been the primary targets. Security agents are widely suspected to be behind these disappearances, though authorities deny involvement. Despite official claims that the government does not engage in extrajudicial killings or abductions, evidence suggests otherwise. Reports highlight discrepancies between police records and autopsy findings in cases involving anti-government protesters. In November, President Ruto dismissed reports of abductions as “fake news” but later in December pledged to stop the abduction of government critics. Human rights activists argue that his remarks signal an acknowledgement of state involvement or complicity in these incidents.

On 30th December 2024, the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights called on the Kenyan government to end abductions and enforced disappearances. The Commission urged authorities to conduct thorough, transparent and impartial investigations into all reported cases. It also emphasised the need to strengthen oversight bodies, including the Police Oversight Commission, the judiciary, and human rights commissions, to ensure they can effectively prevent and address such violations. Additionally, the Commission called for immediate support to families of the disappeared by cooperating in investigations, providing legal assistance, and ensuring access to justice. It also stressed the importance of promptly informing families and the public about arrests or detentions and ensuring detainees appear in court without delay.

On 14th January 2025, Cabinet Secretary for Public Service, Justin Muturi, in a written statement to police, alleged that the National Intelligence Service (NIS) was responsible for his son’s abduction during the June 2024 anti-government protests. Muturi stated that his son, Leslie, was taken by "armed, hooded gangsters" and was only released after President William Ruto personally intervened. He described visiting the presidential residence on 23rd June 2024, where President Ruto then called NIS Director-General Noordin Haji to secure Leslie’s release.

Separately, former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, who was impeached in October 2024 after falling out with the president, accused the ruling party’s administration of using abductions to silence critics. In December 2024, he described the reported abductions as a "security crisis" and condemned the NIS for its inaction on the matter. These claims add to growing concerns over the use of enforced disappearances as a tool to suppress dissent, raising questions about state accountability and the protection of civil liberties in Kenya

Protests erupt over escalating cases of government sanctioned abductions

On 30th December 2024, nationwide protests broke out in response to rising abductions and enforced disappearances in Kenya. Despite being peaceful, security forces used excessive force, deploying tear gas and violently dispersing demonstrators. A group of civil society organisations reported that at least 50 unarmed protesters, including Senator Okiya Omtatah, former presidential aspirant Reuben Kigame and several human rights defenders, were teargassed and arrested in Nairobi, Mombasa and Eldoret. In Nairobi and Mombasa, 18 protesters suffered injuries, including blunt force trauma, minor cuts and respiratory distress from tear gas exposure. Reports also indicate that four detainees faced assault and torture with batons and rifle butts inside a Nairobi police station. Human rights groups continue to condemn the state’s escalating crackdown on peaceful dissent.

A Nairobi court rejected a police request on 31st December 2024 to detain 23 protesters arrested during the anti-abduction demonstrations, denying law enforcement’s bid for a 14-day investigative hold. Instead, the court granted their release on a KSh 50,000 bond with surety or a KSh 1,000 cash bail. On 21st January 2025, the High Court further ruled in favour of the protesters, ordering the release of their confiscated phones, which had been seized during their 30th December arrest. The case is scheduled for mention on 3rd March 2025.

High Court rejects Executive’s bid to limit right to protest

On 6th February 2025, the High Court quashed a directive prohibiting protests in Nairobi’s Central Business District (CBD), declaring it unconstitutional. Justice Bahati Mwamuye ruled that Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja’s order undermined Article 37 of the Constitution, which upholds the right to peaceful assembly, and failed to meet the legal criteria under Article 24 for restricting fundamental freedoms. The ruling also nullified a press statement issued by Kanja on 17th July 2024, following the nationwide mass protests, which sought to justify the ban by citing security risks and claims of criminal infiltration. The court emphasised that such restrictions could not be imposed arbitrarily.

The Katiba Institute, which challenged the directive in court, maintained that Inspector General Kanja had exceeded his mandate by attempting to regulate the conditions under which constitutional rights could be exercised. The petitioners argued that the ban was an unjustified restriction on public demonstrations, particularly during the June 2024 youth led protests. Justice Mwamuye agreed, stating that the order was “overly broad, blanket, and omnibus in nature,” making it unconstitutional and unenforceable. This ruling represents a crucial victory for human rights and civil liberties, reaffirming protections against state-imposed restrictions on fundamental freedoms.

Femicide protests violently dispersed

Despite public outcry and nationwide protests, the femicide crisis persists. As previously documented on the Monitor, peaceful demonstrations against the surge of femicide took place in January 2024, reflecting widespread frustration over the government's response. In efforts to address the issue, on 20th November 2024, President Ruto allocated 100 Million Kenya Shillings (USD 770,364) to combat femicide by creating safe homes, safe space campaigns and supporting policies that protect women.

On 10th December 2024, more nationwide protests took place against femicide as critics argue that cases continue to rise, with little evidence of significant impact from government interventions. In Nairobi, police officers, including those in plain clothes, forcefully dispersed a peaceful protest in Nairobi using tear gas, rubber bullets and excessive force despite organisers meeting legal requirements for notification. Authorities unlawfully detained 10 protesters, charging five with participating in an "unlawful assembly," while the others were released unconditionally. Among those charged was Amnesty Kenya’s director, Irungu Houghton. On 16th December 2024, authorities released all five detainees. The government’s use of force against protesters drew sharp criticism, with activists questioning its commitment to addressing gender-based violence while simultaneously suppressing civic action.

In January 2025, President Ruto appointed a 42-member task force to investigate and recommend solutions to curb femicide and gender-based violence.

Expression

Clergy raise concerns over government surveillance in churches

On 23rd October 2024, a group of preachers in Kiambu County raised concerns over alleged government interference in their religious practices, claiming that state officials were closely surveilling their sermons and congregants. During a press conference, clergy members revealed that unidentified individuals, believed to be government agents, had been attending church services without identifying themselves and later questioned congregants about invited guests. Some preachers reported that local chiefs were demanding explanations about sermon content and details of attendees. The preachers condemned these actions as a violation of religious freedom and the right to worship without intimidation. They called on the government to respect constitutional rights and cease any unwarranted surveillance of religious institutions.

As previously documented, during the mass protests, people collectively chanted against the Finance Bill in churches and other social spaces, actively supporting ongoing plans for further protests. Clergy across the country have also vocally condemned the ills facing the country, which led to the protests, including wanton corruption by government officials and the high cost of living, among others.

Telecom giant in the spotlight on claims of aiding government sanctioned abductions

Safaricom, Kenya’s largest telecommunications provider, came under fire for suppressing press freedom and intimidating human rights organisations following an exposé on its involvement in mass surveillance. On 29th October 2024, Nation Media Group published an investigative report revealing that Safaricom, in collaboration with Neural Technologies Limited, had developed software that gave Kenyan security agencies access to private consumer data. The system reportedly enabled authorities to track and capture suspects, raising concerns about the possible use of consumers’ mobile phone records to aid in the wave of abductions that swept the country amid the nationwide protests.

In response, Safaricom threatened Nation Media Group and its journalists with a Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation (SLAPP) on 31st October, demanding a retraction and correction of the article. Days later, the telecom giant withdrew advertising from the media house, which was a significant financial blow to the outlet. The company also extended its threats to human rights organisations that demanded accountability. On 18th November, Safaricom sent a legal warning to the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) and Muslims for Human Rights (MUHURI) after they published a joint statement calling for transparency. The Civic Freedoms Forum (CFF) later revealed that Safaricom pressured KHRC to retract the letter, signalling a broader crackdown on dissent. On 17th December, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) condemned the actions and called for the protection of investigative journalists.

Abductions by authorities extend to online critics

In December 2024 alone, unidentified individuals abducted at least six online critics in separate incidents. Some victims were allegedly targeted after AI-generated images of the president in a coffin circulated online. Authorities abducted Gideon Kibet and his brother Ronny Kiplangat after Gideon posted cartoons critical of President William Ruto and his government on social media. On 6th January 2025, five of six missing Kenyans, including student Billy Munyiri Mwangi, content creator Bernard Kavuli, Peter Muteti, Gideon Kibet, and his brother Ronny Kiplangat, were found alive after being released in different locations under unclear circumstances. However, Steve Mbisi remains missing. In a CNN interview, those who returned stated they did not know who detained them but some have since stopped criticising the government online or gone silent.

On 15th January 2025, frustrated patients disrupted a media conference by the Health Cabinet Secretary, protesting the controversial Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF), a new social health scheme introduced by the government, which has received sharp criticism from the public due to various operational challenges and concerns since its inception that have seen many patients denied services in hospitals due to payment glitches despite their contribution to the fund. Despite paying monthly premiums, the protesting patients reported severe delays in accessing treatment due to systemic failures, forcing them to spend excessive amounts on daily hospital visits, some for over a week. Grace Njoki Munai led the protest, accusing Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) of neglect after waiting seven days for treatment. On 23rd January, DCI officers arrested her and forcibly removed Grace Mulei from Ladnan Hospital, where she was seeking medical care. Authorities detained Njoki at Capitol Hill and charged her with creating a disturbance in a government office, denying her bail in violation of Article 49(1)(h) of the Kenyan Constitution. Despite requiring urgent knee surgery and suffering from hypertension and diabetes, she spent a night in detention. A court later granted her bail at Sh 10,000 and scheduled her next hearing for 7th February. Following public outcry, the Ministry of Health (MoH) withdrew its case against Njoki on 30th January. The National Assembly announced the decision after a mid-term MPs’ retreat in Naivasha, where legislators demanded the Ministry drop all charges.

Government targets social media companies amidst growing online criticism

On 16th January 2025, the Kenyan government ordered social media companies to establish physical offices in the country, citing the need for accountability and measures against digital platform misuse. The directive follows months of tension over critical online content targeting top officials, including President William Ruto, which followed after the June 2024 mass protests. Relatedly, on 28th January 2025, ICT and Digital Economy Cabinet Secretary William Kabogo warned that the government could shut down social media platforms if national security is at risk. While he stated there were no immediate plans to disrupt internet access, he emphasised tighter regulation of online spaces and warned against misuse, citing potential prosecution under the Misuse of Computer and Cybercrimes Act.

Both measures reflect the government's increasing efforts to control digital spaces, as officials justify these actions by claiming they are necessary to combat disinformation, online abuse, and incitement. Civil society groups warn that these regulations undermine free speech and set a dangerous precedent for suppressing digital rights on the pretext of national security.

MP intimidated for criticising president

Mumias East MP Peter Salasya has accused President William Ruto of attempting to intimidate him following his outspoken criticism during a visit to Kakamega. Speaking on Spice FM on 24th January 2025, Salasya alleged that after raising concerns about key national issues, he faced threats and was dismissed due to his limited experience in politics. Salasya urged Ruto to address the growing financial burden on Kenyans, warning that failure to act could erode public support. During the launch of bonus payments to sugarcane farmers in Mumias, he accused the president’s advisors of concealing the true state of the economy. He also condemned excessive deductions from workers' pay slips, calling for immediate intervention.

Youths arrested after president heckled

Authorities in Isiolo arrested 50 youths on 8th February 2025, shortly after a group heckled President William Ruto during his visit to the town. Residents and activists claim the crackdown was politically motivated, describing chaotic scenes where security forces allegedly rounded up individuals indiscriminately. The youths were released on 10th February after pleading guilty to charges of being drunk and disorderly. A magistrate ruled that the offences were minor and pardoned them under Section 35, waiving any fines. County Commissioner Geoffrey Omoding defended the arrests, insisting they were part of an ongoing operation against drug peddlers in Isiolo and Marsabit. Similarly, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen denied any political motive, claiming the crackdown targeted smugglers. However, human rights activists rejected these justifications, accusing the government of weaponising law enforcement to silence dissent and intimidate residents.

Association

President Ruto's baseless claims on Ford Foundation's involvement in protests

In mid-July 2024 president Ruto accused the Ford Foundation of being behind the nationwide mass protests that began in June 2024, alleging that the Foundation sponsored the violence, and threatening to "kick it out of the country." Similarly, in a letter to the Ford Foundation dated 18th July 2024, Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’oei, on behalf of the Kenyan government, alleged that the organisation was financially supporting NGOs whose funds were being used to organise and facilitate protesters. The head of the Public Benefit Regulatory Authority claimed most of these civil society organisations operate illegally due to improper registration and requested the Directorate of Criminal Investigations to probe the matter. In a statement responding to these allegations, the Ford Foundation reiterated its non-partisan stance in grant making, and denied any claims of funding the protests.

Prominent HRDs arrested

In August 2024, masked police officers unlawfully arrested MUHURI board member Khelef Khalifa and his family in Mida near Malindi. Although Khalifa was later released unconditionally, this incident raises significant concerns about the rule of law, particularly following a court ruling that mandates plainclothes officers not to conceal their identities.

On 27th October 2024, six unidentified individuals forcibly entered the home of Boniface Mwangi, a prominent Kenyan human rights activist, and abducted him without an arrest warrant. Mwangi was held incommunicado, moved between several locations, and eventually found at Kamukunji Police Station. Prior to this, Mwangi had called for anti-government protests at the Standard Chartered Marathon in Nairobi. He was released the following day without formal charges.

Concerns over Kenya’s emergence as hub of cross-border abductions

On 16th November 2024, Ugandan opposition leader Kizza Besigye was abducted in Nairobi and forcibly transferred to Uganda in a covert operation involving both governments. He had travelled for a book launch but was lured to an apartment under the pretence of meeting potential political backers. Shortly after arriving, eight men in plain clothes claiming to be Kenyan police stormed the room, declaring Besigye and his associate Lutale under arrest. Despite his protests that he was uninvolved with any suspicious items in the room, the men ignored his pleas. Four of them forced Besigye and Lutale into a car with Kenyan plates and secretly transported them toward the Ugandan border.

Ugandan authorities justified the abduction by claiming they had gathered intelligence on Besigye’s alleged crimes. Uganda’s Information Minister, Chris Baryomunsi, admitted to planning the arrest in Nairobi, while the Ugandan army spokesman, Brigadier General Felix Kulayigye, referenced a security agreement between Kenya and Uganda—though he failed to explain why no formal extradition process was followed.

Meanwhile, Kenyan officials denied involvement, despite clear indications of coordination between the two governments. Besigye now faces trial in Kampala instead of Nairobi.

In a similar incident, on 12th January 2025, Tanzanian activist Maria Sarungi Tsehai was abducted outside a Nairobi salon in broad daylight. She reported that unidentified men, claiming to be police officers, pulled her from a taxi around 3 p.m. and forced her into a van. They blindfolded, choked, and restrained her with handcuffs, pinning her down by sitting on her feet. Her abductors confiscated her phones and repeatedly demanded access to her social media accounts, which she refused to provide. Hours later, they released her in the city’s outskirts but kept her devices. Maria believes the abduction was an attempt to access her digital communications, likely linked to her activism and criticism of the Tanzanian government. Maria fled Tanzania in 2020 after facing escalating threats under the late President John Magufuli’s administration. In recent months, she had raised alarms about her safety, citing incidents of unknown individuals searching for her at her residence.

These cases raise concerns over Kenya’s role in enabling cross-border abductions and undermining legal protections, and highlight the ongoing threats faced by opposition leaders and HRDs in East Africa through the continued use of illegal renditions to silence political dissent. These claims also add to growing concerns over the use of enforced disappearances as a tool to suppress dissent, raising questions about state accountability and the protection of civil liberties in Kenya.

Notably, Kenya has previously been at the centre of similar abductions. As previously documented on the Monitor, on 21st February 2023, a group of men dressed in police uniforms and claiming to be from the Nairobi Anti-Terror Police, unlawfully abducted a vocal critic of South Sudan’s government, Morris Mabior Awikjok Bak in Nairobi, and deported him to Juba to face charges of allegedly “abusing government officials.” Bak had fled South Sudan for Kenya in April 2021 after receiving threats from officials in Tonj, Warrap state, whom he had criticised.

Concerns over HRD killings

On 18th August 2024, the Meru High Court sentenced Patrick Naweet to 30 years in prison for the murder of environmental human rights defender Elizabeth Ibrahim Ekaru. As previously documented on the Monitor, Elizabeth was killed by her neighbour over a land dispute in January 2022. During the trial, the accused claimed he had never encountered an outspoken woman or activist before, citing he experienced culture shock due to his traditional Turkana background. The ruling is seen as a significant step toward holding perpetrators of gender-based violence accountable, particularly against women advocating for land and environmental rights.

On 18th January 2025, unknown assailants viciously attacked and killed human rights defender Raymond Otieno outside his apartment gate in Molo, Nakuru County, as he returned home. Reports reveal that he had received death threats before his murder, and had complained about being trailed by three unknown individuals just two days before his death. His killing triggered public outrage and protests. On 3rd February 2025, police arrested five suspects linked to the murder, who remain in custody. Among them, two had previously assaulted Otieno in November 2024. An autopsy revealed that Otieno succumbed to severe head injury.

On 6th February 2025, bystanders found the body of Salman Loa Peikine, a Turkana-based human rights defender, at Lodwar Funeral Home in Turkana County. His friends and family had searched for him after he failed to return home from a social gathering in Lokichar on 5th February. Witnesses reported that they discovered his body on the morning of 6th February along the Lodwar–Lokichar highway before it was taken to the funeral home. The reason for his death remains unclear. However, it raises serious concerns about the safety of human rights defenders in Kenya, especially following the recent killing of HRD Raymond Otieno.