Govt Ignores UN’s Request to Respond To Human Rights Infringement Claim After Activist Raises Alarm

General Assembly Hall during an event in 2016 to mark the one year anniversary of the adoption of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals.
General Assembly Hall during an event in 2016 to mark the one year anniversary of the adoption of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals.
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United Nations

The United Nations (UN), on December 10, faulted the Kenyan government for failing to respond to a communication made by the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders and other UN experts, alleging the infringement of human rights.

According to the UN, a communication was sent to the Government of Kenya on November 7, 2023, informing them of the matter where a Kenyan Environmental activist Phyllis Omido was denied the right to host environmental training in Kilifi.

The UN noted that they provided the government a 60-day window to reply to the communication but the government failed to do so, resulting in the communication going public. 

In its statement, the UN alleged that the environmental activist through her organisation, the Centre for Justice, Governance and Environmental Action (CJGEA), was denied the opportunity to host a training event in her locale after heavily armed police intercepted the meeting on September 21, 2023. 

A file image of tall, concrete Chimneys of a nuclear plant.
A file image of tall, concrete Chimneys of a nuclear plant.
accordingtophillips.com

The training was intended to provide details to the members of the community on the identification of Uyombo Village as the site that Kenya’s Nuclear Power and Energy Agency (NuPEA) had identified to develop a Research Reactor Programme.

The statement provided by the UN stated that Omido's intentions to host the human rights training were disrupted when she received a call before the meeting began informing her that heavily armed police had began forcefully dispersing those who had gathered for the training, disconnecting the PA system and removing the chairs and projector from the venue.

 Further, the UN has criticised the government’s infringement of human rights stating that, “We express serious concern at the obstruction of the planned human rights training for the Matsangoni community and the threats made against Ms. Omido”. 

They have also noted that the government’s interception of the meeting oppresses and denies the community in question the right to participation

“These actions would strongly indicate an attempt by the authorities to impede and repress the informed participation of local communities in discussions around the proposed nuclear project in the area, and to stigmatise Ms. Omido and the CJGEA for their attempts to facilitate the community member’s defence of their human rights”, the UN added.

However, despite the training being halted and dispersed in September, the UN noted that the second attempt to host it was successful on December 14, 2023, after its intervention and close monitoring of the situation.

In recent developments, announced on January 9, Kenya received the nod to go ahead with its plans to develop a Research Reactor Programme.

The nod was given after nuclear experts drawn from the United States, India and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), reported that they were satisfied with Kenya's preparedness to take the big step.

Reports indicate that the experts assessed the site and the preparedness of the government to proceed with the project for nine days, before greenlighting the move.

Kenyan Environmental Activist Phyllis Omido
Kenyan Environmental Activist Phyllis Omido
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Edubilla
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