A group of ambassadors and high commissioners representing 13 Western countries hare urging the Kenyan government to uphold citizens’ rights to peaceful protest as the country marks one year since the mass demonstrations against the 2024 Finance Bill.
In a joint statement the envoys from countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, Sweden, Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, Ireland, Australia, Switzerland, Norway, Canada, and Finland called for restraint, accountability, and full compliance with a High Court ruling that declared the use of plainclothes officers in unmarked vehicles unlawful.
“We remember those who lost their lives and reaffirm every Kenyans’ right to peaceful assembly and to express themselves,” the statement read part of the statement.
The diplomats expressed concern over reports of hired individuals infiltrating peaceful protests to incite violence, warning that such actions threaten civic space and democratic freedoms. “Protecting the right to protest is vital to preserving civic space and a cornerstone of Kenya’s vibrant democracy,” the statement said.
The envoys also renewed called for swift, transparent, and independent investigations into all incidents of violence against peaceful protesters.
They emphasized that accountability is essential not only for justice but also to restore public trust in institutions meant to protect citizens.
