In a statement released on Sunday, 20 September, the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) cautioned that a series of recent attacks could undermine security and fundamental rights as Kenya moves toward its 2027 General Election. The commission highlighted that the climate of fear generated by the incidents could erode confidence in the electoral process and discourage political participation.

The commission cited several violent episodes. In Isiolo, an alleged bandit raid on 16 September in Gotu left five dead, among them two police officers and three community elders. Earlier attacks in the county included an ambush on an anti‑stock‑theft patrol in Burat Ward and a shooting on the Meru‑Isiolo border in August. In Embu, two young men – Mike Macharia, 23, and Moses Munene, 30 – were fatally wounded during a clash at Nembure Grounds on 12 September, prompting the Independent Policing Oversight Authority to launch an inquiry into police conduct. Along the Turkana‑West Pokot frontier, armed raids, livestock theft and retaliatory attacks have resulted in multiple deaths, the loss of hundreds of animals and the destruction of homes in villages such as Kakong, Aroo, Lokwar, Romos and Ompolion. The KNCHR also reported a gun attack on a passenger vehicle near Kakong’u on 11 September that injured three occupants, and alleged assaults by security teams on communities in Pokot Central on 17 September.

Beyond the immediate loss of life, the KNCHR warned that the unrest jeopardises access to education, health care, food, property and freedom of movement. It called for swift, independent investigations into the Embu shooting and the border clashes, and urged the creation of an oversight body to monitor multi‑agency security operations for legality and proportionality. The commission further condemned recent inflammatory remarks by political figures, noting that such rhetoric can inflame tensions and deter citizens from exercising their constitutional right to choose freely. It appealed to political leaders, parties, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission and the Registrar of Political Parties to reject violence and intimidation, and to reinforce public confidence in the upcoming election.