Kenyans Abroad Condemn Crackdown On Protests, Warn Of Tyranny

Kenyans living abroad have issued a strong condemnation of the Kenyan government’s “brutal crackdown” on peaceful protesters and its “illegal orders” to shut down live media coverage, warning that the country is “sliding into tyranny.”

In a statement released from Washington D.C. on Wednesday, the diaspora community accused the Kenya Kwanza administration of attacking unarmed citizens and gagging the press during nationwide demonstrations. These protests mark one year since the initial “Gen Z” protests began.

“When a government fires on its own people and shuts down the media, it ceases to be leadership— it becomes tyranny,” the statement declared. The group emphasized that while Kenya is experiencing pain, its people “will not be silenced.”

Demands for Protection of Rights and Press Freedom

The diaspora community called on President William Ruto to publicly assure the nation that no lives would be lost, no Kenyan would be kidnapped or tortured for exercising their rights, and that peaceful assembly would be fully protected. They stressed that these are basic constitutional guarantees the government “must not ignore.”

Furthermore, they demanded the immediate reversal of the “illegal shutdown” of broadcasting signals for NTV, KTN, and Citizen TV.

“This blatant violation of constitutional press freedoms demands the harshest public and legal condemnation,” the statement read. The Communications Authority of Kenya had reportedly ordered these media outlets to cease live coverage after protests intensified on Tuesday afternoon.

Withdrawal of Force and Accountability for Violence

The third demand from the diaspora was the immediate withdrawal of all armed and uniformed forces deployed to intimidate, harm, or suppress peaceful protests. “Protesters came unarmed, in peace, bearing wreaths, not weapons. In response, the government unleashed teargas, riot police, and brute force upon its own people,” the statement noted.

Human rights groups have reported a grim toll from the clashes, with at least eight Kenyans killed and over 80 others receiving specialized treatment, some for gunshot wounds. The state-funded Kenya National Commission on Human Rights confirmed tracking protests in 23 counties, recording over 400 injuries and more than 60 arrests.

In Nairobi, access to Parliament and the president’s office was barricaded with razor wire, and all access roads were blocked by police. Protesters clashed with officers in major cities including Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru, and Nyahururu, where police reportedly fired tear gas, used batons, and even live rounds to disperse crowds.