U.S. Sounds Alarm on Worsening Human Rights Situation Under Ruto Government

The U.S. government has raised alarm over what it terms a sharp decline in Kenya’s human rights record in 2024, citing widespread reports of unlawful killings, enforced disappearances, torture, and growing restrictions on media freedom.

In its latest Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, the U.S. Department of State accuses President William Ruto’s administration of committing serious abuses during the youth-led “Gen Z” protests in June and July 2024, which erupted over proposed tax hikes in the Finance Bill before escalating into broader anti-government demonstrations after the bill was withdrawn.

According to the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR), at least 60 people died in protest-related incidents, while the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) documented 50 deaths and 199 injuries, blaming excessive police force.

Allegations of Impunity and Police Brutality

The report highlights arbitrary arrests, prolonged detentions without charge, enforced disappearances, and the use of hooded, masked officers in civilian clothes—despite a High Court ruling prohibiting such attire during protests. KNCHR reported 82 abductions or disappearances since June 2024, with 29 people still missing by year’s end.

Former detainees told investigators they had been threatened by individuals believed to be police officers, warning them against posting protest-related content online. Human rights NGOs cited routine use of torture, including beatings, stress positions, and electric shocks during interrogations.

“Impunity was a serious problem across security agencies,” the report notes, accusing the government of failing to acknowledge or hold officers accountable for abuses committed during the Gen Z demonstrations. Rights groups further allege that disciplinary transfers and deliberate obstruction of investigations were used to shield officers’ identities.

Transnational Repression Concerns

Washington also accuses Kenyan authorities of collaborating in cross-border crackdowns on dissidents. In July 2024, a registered Ugandan refugee and 36 members of Uganda’s opposition FDC party were arrested in Kisumu during a governance training course and forcibly returned to Uganda to face terrorism-related charges.

In November, veteran Ugandan opposition figure Kizza Besigye was abducted in Nairobi—allegedly by Ugandan agents—and driven across the border to Kampala, where he now faces treason charges. While Nairobi initially denied knowledge of the operation, Ugandan authorities claimed it was coordinated between the two governments.

Attacks on Press Freedom

The report also details intimidation and violence against journalists, including physical assaults during live broadcasts and incidents of media self-censorship following government threats. The Media Council of Kenya recorded at least 24 cases of harassment and attacks on journalists during the Gen Z protests, with some reporters targeted with tear gas and detained by police.

Other Rights Issues

Beyond political repression, the State Department flags poor labour law enforcement, hazardous working conditions, persistent child marriage, and ongoing female genital mutilation in certain communities.

While acknowledging that the Kenyan government took some steps to investigate and punish abuses, the report concludes that “impunity was a problem at all levels of government.”