Kenya’s opposition condemns return of police state and human rights violation
Kenya’s Opposition Leaders led by Dr. Steven Kalonzo Musyoka, accused President William Ruto’s administration of orchestrating a return to a “police state,” citing widespread reports of illegal surveillance, abductions, and extrajudicial killings.
Dr. Musyoka condemned what he called the government’s “perfected art of deceit and lies,” asserting that recent actions threaten the country’s democratic foundations and could drag Kenya to a dangerous turning point.
“Contrary to Mr. Ruto’s allegations that critics of his Kenya Kwanza regime are disseminating falsehoods, our beloved country is at risk and at a defining crossroads,” Musyoka declared, asserting that the current administration’s actions defy Kenya’s constitutional safeguards.
IEBC Selection Panel Dispute: Allegations of Delayed Gazettement
The opposition highlighted significant setbacks in the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) selection process. According to Musyoka, the government has interfered in filling positions on the IEBC selection panel, a body crucial to safeguarding free and fair elections. The opposition had nominated Dr. Koki Muli to the IEBC panel following a High Court ruling on October 24, yet Musyoka stated that Parliament Speaker Moses Wetangula and Clerk of the National Assembly have obstructed the process, allegedly delaying the panel’s formation to allow the ruling party’s nominee to appeal.
“This is a direct attack on Kenya’s democratic process,” Musyoka said, demanding the immediate gazettement of the IEBC selection panel and accusing government actors of placing the country’s democratic future at risk.
Phone surveillance and privacy violations
In addition to the IEBC controversy, Musyoka criticized government surveillance, which allegedly involves collusion between Kenyan security agencies and telecommunications providers like Safaricom, Airtel, and Telkom Kenya. According to an investigative report by the Nation Media Group, security agencies have exploited these partnerships to monitor Kenyan citizens, especially those critical of the government.
“These illegally obtained records are used to track down, harass, threaten, abduct, and even execute Kenyans perceived to be anti-Kenya Kwanza,” Musyoka claimed, referencing the constitutional protections for privacy outlined in Article 31 and the Data Protection Act of 2019, both of which prohibit unwarranted searches and seizure of personal information without consent.
The opposition also called out telecom operators, warning them of potential criminal liability for allegedly facilitating these privacy violations. Musyoka condemned the actions as severe breaches of citizens’ fundamental rights to privacy, with implications for both Kenyans and the country’s international partnerships.
Spike in extrajudicial actions
Highlighting a surge in human rights abuses, Musyoka cited alarming statistics provided by the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) and the Police Reforms Working Group (PRWG-K). Since June, the organizations have reported 23 confirmed murders, 34 forced disappearances, and 164 arbitrary arrests of activists, civic leaders, and students. Among the most tragic cases is that of John Njuguna Kuria, a civic educationist from West Pokot, whose body was found discarded and mutilated after 12 days missing. Dr. Musyoka also mentioned Denzel Omondi, a student from JKUAT University, who was allegedly abducted and later discovered dead.
Kenya’s opposition condemns return of police state and human rights violation
In what the opposition describes as “the most blatant example” of state repression, Nairobi and Thika public mortuaries reportedly hold over 200 unidentified bodies, allegedly dumped by police in recent months. The Independent Medical-Legal Unit (IMLU) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) have since condemned these actions, calling them violations of international human rights laws, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
Calls for accountability
Demanding accountability, Musyoka held high-ranking security officials responsible, including National Intelligence Service Director Noordin Haji, Directorate of Criminal Investigations Director Mohammed Amin, and leaders of the Anti-Terrorism Police Unit and Serious Crimes Unit. He further urged the Inspector General of Police and the Minister for Interior and National Administration to answer for these abuses, describing them as agents of political oppression, rather than guardians of public safety.
Most notably, Musyoka held President Ruto personally responsible for the “repressive turn” in Kenya’s governance, demanding his resignation. “Mr. Ruto should resign with immediate effect for violating his Oath of Office to preserve and protect the Constitution of Kenya,” Musyoka declared, charging the president with failing to uphold citizens’ rights and accusing him of fostering a “brutal dictatorship.”
Media suppression and journalist persecution
In a show of solidarity, Musyoka commended journalists from Nation Media Group for their investigative reporting, which he described as courageous in an increasingly hostile environment. Despite facing physical attacks, equipment seizures, and gag orders, Kenyan journalists have persevered in their commitment to truth and transparency. “You have demonstrated that the fundamental yearning for democratic liberties will never be destroyed, even by the most brutal dictatorship,” he said, highlighting the essential role of free media in defending Kenya’s democratic institutions.
