Human rights organizations in Kenya have filed a petition at the High Court seeking orders to compel State agencies to investigate alleged organized attacks on political, civic, and religious gatherings. The petitioners, including the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC), Katiba Institute, and Independent Medico-Legal Unit, accuse the State of failing to prevent, investigate, and prosecute politically motivated violence targeting Kenyans exercising their constitutional rights.
The petitioners want the court to compel the Director-General of the National Intelligence Service (NIS) and the Inspector-General of Police to investigate the attacks, including alleged networks responsible for recruiting, financing, and deploying individuals to disrupt public gatherings. They are also seeking orders requiring the agencies to preserve critical evidence and forward completed investigation files to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for a decision on whether charges should be preferred.
The petition cites incidents reported since early 2025, alongside video footage, media reports, and public statements by senior government officials, as evidence of an escalating pattern of organized attacks. KHRC says it was itself targeted on July 6, 2025, when armed individuals allegedly stormed its Nairobi offices and disrupted a press conference. The commission submitted CCTV footage and other evidence to the National Police Service, but alleges that no meaningful investigative or prosecutorial action had been taken.
The petitioners are seeking a range of remedies, including the establishment of a dedicated, adequately funded multi-agency task force to investigate and pursue prosecutions relating to the organization and financing of politically motivated gang violence. The proposed team would draw personnel from the National Police Service and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, working in coordination with the DPP.
The petitioners also want the court to direct the State to develop a coordinated national framework for preventing and responding to organized political and civic violence. The proposed framework would spell out the responsibilities of different State institutions, establish clear channels for reporting and escalating threats, and provide for intelligence sharing and victim protection.
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) and the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights are also being drawn into the proposed oversight process. The petitioners want the two institutions to independently monitor religious, civic, and political gatherings and submit separate periodic reports on the electoral environment and the country’s compliance with constitutional and international human rights obligations.
The petitioners are seeking general and aggravated damages over alleged violations of their constitutional rights, as well as the costs of the case. They argue that constitutional freedoms cannot be meaningfully exercised when citizens face violence, intimidation, or threats for participating in public affairs, and that the State has a constitutional duty to maintain public order, protect fundamental rights, and enforce criminal law fairly and effectively.
Key points
- The petitioners are seeking orders to compel State agencies to investigate alleged organized attacks on political, civic, and religious gatherings.
- The petition cites incidents reported since early 2025 as evidence of an escalating pattern of organized attacks.
- The petitioners are seeking the establishment of a dedicated task force to investigate and pursue prosecutions relating to politically motivated gang violence.
