'Democracy cannot thrive where fear replaces freedom,' rights group says

Plain cloth officers arrest activists along Harambee Avenue, Nairobi, during Saba Saba protests on Tuesday, July 7, 2026. [Kanyiri Wahito, Standard]

A lobby group accused security agencies of unlawful arrests, excessive force and enforced disappearances, saying Kenya has failed to deliver justice and accountability decades after the country's pro-democracy struggle.

The Social Justice Centres Working Group (SJCWG) issued the statement on Tuesday to mark Saba Saba Day, saying Kenya has yet to realise the ideals of justice that inspired the original 1990 pro-democracy movement.

SJCWG called for the immediate disclosure of the whereabouts of missing persons and impartial investigations into alleged enforced disappearances and unlawful killings.

"Sadly, decades later, many of the same concerns continue to confront our nation," the statement read.

The group accused the government of ignoring calls for dialogue and instead responding with intimidation, heavy security deployments and movement restrictions that disrupt livelihoods.

"We strongly condemn the continued brutality meted out against citizens exercising their constitutional rights," the group stated.

At least five people have reportedly disappeared over the past month and their whereabouts remain unknown, according to the statement.

"Their families continue to endure unimaginable pain and uncertainty while waiting for answers from the authorities," the statement added.

SJCWG described the situation as a persistent culture of impunity and condemned what it called increasing attacks on civil society organisations, human rights defenders, journalists and social movements.

"We reject attempts to portray civil society organisations, grassroots human rights defenders, community justice centres, journalists and social movements as the source of Kenya's problems," the group maintained.

The group said no institution or public officer stands above the law and called for equal application of the law whenever violations occur.

"Democracy cannot thrive where fear replaces freedom, where impunity replaces justice, and where accountability is sacrificed for political expediency," the statement warned.

The claims echo findings by the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights, which documented seven fresh cases of enforced disappearance and 361 arrests across 11 counties following the June 25 protests marking the second anniversary of the 2024 Gen Z demonstrations.

Kenya signed the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance in 2007 but has yet to enact legislation criminalising the practice domestically.

 The statement came as thousands of Kenyans joined nationwide "March for Our Lives" demonstrations on Tuesday despite government assurances that the day would proceed as a normal working day.

Rights groups said at least 38 people died and more than 500 were injured during last year's Saba Saba protests.