18 MAY 2026
The Kenyan Section of the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ Kenya) expresses profound shock and condemnation regarding the horrific petrol attack on gospel artiste Rachel Muthoni, which occurred in Mwiki, Kasarani. Reports indicate that Muthoni was targeted, doused in petrol, and set ablaze by masked individuals acting on account of her political expression. This heinous act constitutes an egregious violation of human rights and a direct assault on the principles of human dignity and the rule of law.
ICJ Kenya is deeply saddened to learn that Rachel Muthoni has since succumbed to her injuries. We extend our heartfelt condolences to her family, friends, and the wider creative community.
ICJ Kenya wishes to state categorically that this brutal assault must not be treated as an isolated criminal incident. Rather, it represents a terrifying and visible manifestation of a rapidly deteriorating political climate characterised by deep-seated intolerance. As the country steers toward the upcoming General Elections, we are witnessing a dangerous resurgence of political goonism and systematic intimidation designed to silence dissenting views and shrink civic space. Allowing such lawlessness to take root without consequence risks normalising violence as a tool for political conformity, which threatens to plunge the nation into electoral chaos.
This attack strikes at the very heart of the democratic freedoms guaranteed to every citizen under the Constitution of Kenya (2010). ICJ Kenya reminds all State organs, political actors, and the public that Freedom of Expression (Article 33) protects every Kenyan’s right to express their opinions and artistic choices without fear of violent retaliation or death. Furthermore, Freedom of Association (Article 36) and Political Rights (Article 38) secure the absolute right of every citizen to align with, support, and manifest affiliation with any political leader or ideology. In a constitutional democracy, physical violence can never be tolerated as a response to political differences or personal associations.