The United States government has pointed out multiple human rights violations in Kenya in 2024, including reports of unlawful killings, enforced disappearances, torture, and curbs on media freedoms.
In its latest Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, the US Department of State accuses President William Ruto’s administration of several abuses in the “Gen Z” youth-led protests of June and July 2024, which erupted over proposed tax hikes.
“Kenya experienced a deterioration in the human rights situation during the year,” the report says. “In response to nationwide protests in June and July, authorities reportedly committed numerous abuses, including unlawful killings, physical violence, and arbitrary arrests and detentions.”
The report cites cases of extrajudicial arrests, prolonged incommunicado detention, and targeting of protesters and government critics. It also refers to cases of enforced disappearances and the involvement of masked, hooded men in plain clothes during raids – in contravention of a High Court order issued last year that prevented police from covering their faces, wearing masks, or donning civilian attire during demonstrations.
In December 2024, the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) reported 82 cases of abductions or enforced disappearances since June, with 29 individuals still missing.
“Those released stated they were warned by individuals believed to be police officers not to post protest-related content on social media,” the U.S. report notes, adding that some detainees remained in custody far beyond the legal time limit without being charged.
Police Torture and Violence
President Donald Trump’s administration further highlights reports accusing Kenyan police and prison officers of using torture and violence both during interrogations and as punishment for pretrial detainees and convicted prisoners.
“According to human rights NGOs, beatings, bondage in painful positions, and electric shock were the most common methods used by police,” the State Department says.
The report underscores widespread impunity within security agencies, with rights groups noting that the government failed to acknowledge police abuses or hold officers accountable for their actions during the June and July “Gen Z” protests.
It further documents instances where police officials resisted investigations and detained human rights activists who reported government abuses.
“Police used disciplinary transfers of officers and other methods to hide their identities and frustrate investigations into their alleged crimes,” the U.S. report adds, citing findings from human rights organizations.
Cross-Border Abductions
Washington also highlights reports of transnational repression, pointing to a July 2024 incident in which Kenyan authorities arrested a registered Ugandan refugee in Kisumu alongside 36 members of Uganda’s opposition political party, the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC).
The team was arrested by a joint Kenyan-Ugandan security operation as they attended a leadership and governance training course, says the U.S. report. They were forcibly returned to Uganda, where they were arraigned on terrorism charges by the authorities.
In a separate episode in November, veteran Ugandan opposition leader Kizza Besigye was abducted by Ugandan agents while in Nairobi for the launch of a book.
Press Freedom Curbs
The U.S. State Department also raises concern over intimidation and assaults targeting journalists, including attacks during live broadcasts, as well as growing media self-censorship in the wake of government threats.
“The Media Council of Kenya reported at least 24 instances of violence and harassment against journalists by police and government-aligned groups during the Gen Z protests in June and July, including detention and targeting with tear gas and other nonlethal weapons,” the report says.
The document further points to weak enforcement of labor rights, unsafe working conditions, cases of child marriage, and the persistence of female genital mutilation in certain communities.
“The government took steps to identify and punish officials who committed human rights abuses but impunity was a problem at all levels of government,” the report notes.
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