In a chilling testament to the fragility of civic freedoms, Kenya has been downgraded from obstructed to repressed status, a report by the Global Findings 2024 of Civicus Monitor has revealed.
The downgrade follows the brutal government crackdown on nationwide protests in June and July 2024.
Sparked by a proposed Finance Bill that sought to raise taxes and further burden already struggling Kenyans with the high cost of living amid rampant government corruption, the violent response led to the deaths of at least 60 unarmed protesters and the arrest of over 1,000 individuals.
"At least 1,200 people were arrested during #RejectFinanceBill2024 protests against tax rises in Kenya in June 2024," the report revealed.
This harsh crackdown left a lasting impact, with abductions and intimidation tactics continuing to create an atmosphere of fear and repression across Kenya.
Six months after the protests, abductions of protesters, activists and online supporters continue putting the country's freedom and democracy in jeopardy.
"According to the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights, as of 31 October 2024, at least 60 people had been killed and 71 cases of enforced or involuntary disappearances documented," the report revealed.
The increase in killings and abductions months after the protests has created a chilling effect on civic freedom in Kenya.
Despite the constitution legalising picketing, police occupied the roads as they blocked protestors from exercising their constitutional rights. The confrontations led to the deaths of GenZ protestors who were protesting against the Finance Bill 2024.
Apart from Kenya, the report also downgraded Burkina Faso’s status from “obstructed” to “repressed.” Eswatini and Ethiopia were downgraded from “repressed” to “closed,” meaning authorities there tolerate almost no public dissent or demonstrations.
During the State of the Nation Address on November 21, 2024, President Ruto championed the country's democracy, affirming that Kenyans have a right to protest peacefully.
"We have a democracy which we are proud of, must defend and should deepen by all means. At the same time, we have citizens whose lives and rights we must protect and a nation whose security, stability and prosperity we must safeguard," Ruto said.
