The global civil society alliance CIVICUS calls on the government of Kenya to end violence against #RejectFinanceBill2024 protesters, investigate deaths of over 39 people, and guarantee the rights of its citizens to protest peacefully. 

The youth-led protests against a tax bill increasing the cost of basic goods has been met with a brutal response. The deaths include a medic helping the wounded and thus far, over 100 have been reported injured including journalists. 

The nationwide protests which started on the 19 June remained peaceful till the 25th, when tensions escalated in Nairobi and other parts of the country. The police used teargas, water cannons, live ammunition, and rubber bullets against peaceful protesters, resulting in injuries, arrests and detentions under deplorable conditions. 

Over a dozen supporters of the protests were abducted and tortured by security operatives with video footage showing officers attacking a medical camp that was attending to wounded protesters. Media outlets such as the Kenya Television Network (KTN) have reported receiving threats from authorities to shut down due to live coverage of the protests and the police violence.

“The unwarranted violence and disproportionate response against protesters by the police must stop immediately. Killing, harassment, abductions, arrests, and detentions of peaceful protesters is against the laws of Kenya and its international human rights obligations; those responsible for violations must be held accountable and brought to justice.

“When young people and citizens take to the streets peacefully to make their voices heard on issues that affect their fundamental freedoms and human dignity, authorities must engage them without violence. The Kenyan authorities must uphold citizens’ constitutional right to peacefully protest and speak up.,” said Dr Paul Mulindwa, Africa’s Advocacy and Campaigns Officer from CIVICUS.

In Kenya, the space for political participation is rated as obstructed by the CIVICUS Monitor with citizens often excluded from policy and decision-making processes. The grave acts meted out to protesters violate human rights and fundamental freedoms of assembly, association, and expression, and undermine civic space and the aspirations of citizens in governance processes.

President Ruto’s expressed commitments to bolster social protection and economic progress must be backed up by ending rampant corruption and abuse of power and ensuring accountability for violations of human rights.

CIVICUS calls on the Kenyan government to: 

1. Guarantee the basic human rights of the people, including freedoms of expression, association and assembly.
2. Urgently and immediately release those abducted and all detained peaceful protesters unconditionally. 
3. Investigate human rights abuses by security forces and hold to account those responsible. 
4. Restrain from using excessive force against peaceful protesters. 
5. Remove all restrictions against activists and citizens so that they can participate in democratic processes without fear of reprisals and retribution.