Kenya has been ranked among 50 sub-Saharan African countries accused of significant human rights violations in the past year, according to the People Power Under Attack 2024 report by global civil society organization CIVICUS.
The report downgraded Kenya’s status from "obstructed" to "repressed," citing the government’s harsh response to mid-2024 Gen Z protests. It stated that police brutality during these protests led to the deaths of at least 60 unarmed demonstrators, over 1,000 arrests, and ongoing abductions targeting protesters and their online supporters.
“Security forces have disrupted peaceful protests with brute force, abductions, and prosecutions of human rights defenders, journalists, and activists, creating a chilling effect on civic freedoms,” the report noted.
Kenya joins countries like Eswatini, Ethiopia, and Burkina Faso in the repressed category, while Botswana and Liberia were highlighted as improving their rankings by promoting political expression and protecting human rights.
Accusations of extrajudicial killings and abductions by Kenyan police drew sharp criticism from international stakeholders, including the United States and human rights organizations, who demanded accountability. However, President William Ruto defended the police, denying any misuse of force.
“Criminals have caused immense harm, and I must protect everybody, especially innocent people,” Ruto stated during a June 2024 media interview.
The report categorizes countries into five levels of civic freedom: open, narrowed, obstructed, repressed, and closed. Kenya’s decline serves as a grim reminder of the urgent need to safeguard human rights and freedoms globally.
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