According to a preliminary report by the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR), police killed at least 60 protesters and abducted 66 others in 2024. Bodies bearing signs of torture were discovered in rivers, forests, abandoned quarries, and mortuaries. Despite these atrocities, the authorities have yet to investigate or prosecute anyone for the deaths and disappearances
A recent report by Human Rights Watch (HRW) accuses the Kenyan government of harassing activists and silencing critics in 2024, as authorities took drastic measures to suppress dissent. The HRW World Report 2025 highlights the abduction and killing of peaceful anti-Finance Bill 2024 protesters, with law enforcement acting with impunity.
The government also reportedly threatened civil society organizations and donors suspected of supporting the protests. The report details how police responded violently to mass protests over tax increases tied to the Finance Bill, which were intended to meet International Monetary Fund (IMF) revenue targets. Protesters and bystanders alike were killed as police shot directly into crowds. The authorities have continued to target protest leaders, with many activists either arrested or abducted by suspected security agents.
“Police shot directly into crowds, killing protesters and bystanders. The authorities have continued to track down people believed to be protest leaders or one of the estimated 3,000 protesters involved in the parliament invasion. Several of these people have either been arrested or abducted by suspected security agents then forcefully disappeared,” reads the HRW report.
According to a preliminary report by the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR), police killed at least 60 protesters and abducted 66 others. Bodies showing signs of torture were found in rivers, forests, abandoned quarries, and mortuaries. Despite these atrocities, the authorities have yet to investigate or prosecute anyone for the deaths and disappearances.
HRW criticizes Kenya for its ongoing history of police brutality and lack of accountability, citing the government’s consistent failure to allow UN special rapporteurs to investigate abuses. The report also points to the Kenyan government’s threats against civil society groups and donor organizations accused of funding the protests. President Ruto, in particular, publicly accused the Ford Foundation of financing the protests and linked it to civil society organizations like the Kenya Human Rights Commission and Katiba Institute.
Further, in response to the protests, the authorities targeted media outlets, with some editors being summoned and threatened over live coverage of the demonstrations. Kenyan media subsequently stopped covering the protests live.
HRW’s findings also highlight the broader regional impact, noting that civilians across East Africa and the Horn suffered from armed conflicts between government forces and opposition groups in 2024.
The HRW report is a comprehensive review of human rights practices in over 100 countries, underscoring the growing global concern over the suppression of dissent and the use of force against peaceful protesters.
