Kenya is now ranked among 50 sub-Saharan African countries accused of suppressing human rights in the past year.
A new global report, People Power Under Attack 2024, by CIVICUS, highlights this troubling trend. The report downgraded four countries, including Kenya, due to their oppressive actions.
Countries like Eswatini, Ethiopia, and Burkina Faso also faced similar downgrades for restricting fundamental freedoms.
Kenya’s rating shifted from “obstructed” to “repressed.” This change followed widespread police brutality during the Gen Z protests in mid-2024.
The protests, which shook the nation, resulted in over 60 unarmed protesters losing their lives. Security forces also arrested at least 1,000 people, the report noted.
It further revealed that abductions of protesters and their online supporters persisted for months. These actions created fear and significantly impacted civic freedoms.
The report detailed how Kenyan authorities disrupted peaceful protests using excessive force. It accused law enforcement of abductions, extrajudicial killings, and prosecuting human rights defenders, journalists, and protesters.
In contrast, countries like Botswana and Liberia improved their rankings. They allowed political expression and showed commitment to defending human rights, setting an example for others.
The report categorized countries into five levels of freedom:
- open,
- narrowed,
- obstructed,
- repressed,
- closed.
Kenya’s downgrade reflects worsening conditions.
Meanwhile, stakeholders like the United States and human rights groups are demanding accountability for these actions. Calls to hold Kenyan officers responsible for the killings remain unresolved.
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