The United States has accused President William Ruto’s government of presiding over a marked decline in human rights in 2024, citing unlawful killings, disappearances, torture, and curbs on media freedoms during youth-led “Gen Z” protests.
In its latest Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, the US State Department says Kenyan authorities committed “numerous abuses” in June and July 2024, when nationwide demonstrations against a proposed finance bill escalated into broader anti-government unrest.
According to the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR), at least 60 people were killed during the protests. The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) recorded 50 deaths and nearly 200 injuries, blaming excessive police force.
The report highlights arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances, and the use of masked officers in civilian clothing — despite a High Court ban on concealing identities during protests. KNCHR documented 82 cases of abduction or enforced disappearance since June 2024, with 29 people still missing.
Those released told investigators they were warned not to post protest-related content online. The US says police and prison officials also used torture, including beatings, painful restraints, and electric shocks, with “serious impunity” across security agencies.
The report cites instances of transnational repression, including the forced return of Ugandan opposition activists from Kisumu in July and the November abduction of veteran opposition leader Kizza Besigye from Nairobi to Kampala.
It also flags intimidation and harassment of journalists, noting at least 24 incidents during the Gen Z protests, including physical assaults during live broadcasts.
While acknowledging that Kenya took some steps to address abuses, Washington concluded that “impunity was a problem at all levels of government.” Rights groups accuse the state of using disciplinary transfers to shield offending officers from accountability.
