Report: Kenya's safe-haven status at risk amid rising repression

Activist Bob Njagi and Kenya Human Rights Commission Executive Director Davis Malombe during the launch of "People Power Under Attack" in Nairobi on December 9, 2025. [Edward Kiplimo, Standard]

A new global report now warns that Kenya’s reputation as a safe haven for human rights defenders is eroding amid a surge in transnational repression and the misuse of state security agencies.

The report titled ‘People Power Under Attack 2025,’ released by CIVICUS, a consortium of human rights organisations, reveals that several countries once seen as refuge states are now collaborating with foreign governments to target dissidents, journalists, and opposition figures.