The Kenyan Section of the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ Kenya) strongly condemns the violent disruption of a public civic forum convened at All Saints Cathedral, Nairobi, by the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC), Transparency International–Kenya (TI-Kenya) and the Institute for Social Accountability (TISA). The forum had been convened to facilitate public dialogue on the 2026–2027 National Budget presented before the National Assembly on 11 June 2026. The attack was not merely an assault on those present; it constituted a direct attack on the constitutional rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, association, public participation, and civic engagement guaranteed under the Constitution of Kenya and protected under regional and international human rights law.
This incident is emblematic of a deeply troubling trend: the increasing proliferation and apparent normalisation of organised criminal gangs operating with impunity in civic and political spaces. Over the past several years, Kenya has witnessed a recurring pattern in which groups of violent actors have disrupted peaceful assemblies, intimidated human rights defenders and civil society actors, attacked protesters, destroyed property, and created an atmosphere of fear designed to discourage legitimate public participation. Such actions undermine democratic governance, weaken public trust in institutions, and threaten the ability of citizens to exercise their rights freely and without fear of violence or reprisal. The continued existence and operation of these groups raise urgent concerns regarding the State’s ability and willingness to fulfil its constitutional and international obligations to protect individuals from violence and to safeguard civic space.