Civic freedom erodes amid crackdown on protesters, report says

A civic freedom monitor has downgraded Kenya’s civic space in its annual ratings amid a recent crackdown on nationwide protests and abductions.

In its 2024 report titled People Power Under Attack, released on December 4, CIVICUS Monitor noted that civic space in the country is significantly constrained. 

Kenya’s score dropped 13 points, from 50 in 2023 to 37, moving it from the middle tier “obstructed” to the second worst tier “repressed”. 

 A repressed rating means civic space is constrained. Kenya now joins the list of 51 countries around the world whose civil space is considered significantly constrained.

Kenya’s downgraded rating follows the government’s continuing brutal crackdown on nationwide protests sparked by legislation which sought to raise taxes and sharply increase the cost of living. 

The government’s violent response led to the deaths and arrests of protesters. 

“Kenya stood at a crossroads as a country, and as a regional leader. The road it could have taken was to lead by example and protect civil space. Instead, it pursued a path of repression, stifling expression and instilling fear in key segments of its population,” said Sylvia Mbataru, the lead researcher on Africa at the CIVICUS Monitor. The report noted that during #RejectFinanceBill2024 protest that mobilised thousands against the high tax proposals, the supporters were met with a severe response from Kenyan authorities.

Physical force

The crackdown, it notes, extended beyond physical force to systematic repression.

“Law enforcement deployed excessive and often lethal force, including the use of snipers against peaceful, unarmed demonstrators,” the report noted.

“Plainclothes officers in unmarked vehicles escalated violence by firing live ammunition and tear gas directly at crowds, indiscriminately targeting civilians, journalists, and even medical personnel providing aid,” read part of the report.

Human rights activists have said that the crackdown on peaceful protests and the targeted suppression of dissenting voices reflects a blatant disregard for human rights and the rule of law in Kenya.

Martin Mavenjina, a senior advisor at the Kenya Human Rights Commission, said the pattern of state-sanctioned violence underscores an alarming erosion of civic freedoms and human rights in Kenya.

“The use of excessive force, forced disappearances, and extrajudicial killings cannot be ignored. The international community must hold the Kenyan government accountable and demand immediate action to protect civic freedoms and ensure justice for the victims,” Estella Kabachwezi, Advocacy and Communications Manager at Defend Defenders said. 

Data overview for Africa shows that civic space conditions have improved in Botswana and Liberia, and deteriorated in Burkina Faso, Eswatini, Ethiopia and Kenya.

Top civic space violations in 2024 led to detention and attacks on journalists and human rights defenders and protesters.