PRESS STATEMENT ON THE AFTERMATH OF THE SABA SABA DEMONSTRATIONS AND NGONG INVESTIGATIVE FINDINGS
Tuesday, 15th July 2025 | Nairobi, Kenya: The Police Reforms Working Group expresses deep concern over the widespread human rights violations and loss of life that occurred during the July 7, 2025, Saba Saba Day protests. These events, symbolic of Kenya’s hard-won democratic gains, were marred by state violence,unlawful policing tactics, and systemic impunity. As […]
TIME TO DEVELOP A COMPREHENSIVE HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS POLICY IN KENYA
By Wallace M Nderu Research and Advocacy Advisor, Defenders Coalition Human rights defenders (HRDs) play a very significant role, championing for human rights and fundamental freedoms within the society and our communities. These are rights and freedoms enshrined not only in Chapter Four of the Constitution but in regional and international treaties and conventions Kenya […]
PRESS STATEMENT ON THE SABA SABA DAY PROTEST
NAIROBI Monday, July 7, 2025: Saba Saba Day symbolizes our nation’s enduring struggle for democracy, civil liberties and political reform. On 7 July 1990, Kenyans across six towns took to the streets to demand free elections and an end to the authoritarian practices of the one-party state. Police killed 20, arrested and charged 1,056 people. […]
Press Statement: Attack on Press Conference at Kenya Human Rights Commission Office.
Nairobi, Kenya, July 6, 2025: The Law Society of Kenya and the Police Reforms Working Group (PRWG) condemn the violent attack by armed goons on a press conference by Kenyan mothers hosted by the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) office today, ahead of the Saba Saba protests. This brazen act of intimidation and targeting of […]
STATEMENT ON THE LOSS OF LIFE AND INJURIES AS THE NATION COMMEMORATES THE FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF 25 JUNE 2024
Nairobi, Wednesday, June 25, 2025: The Law Society of Kenya, Police Reforms Working Group and the Kenya Medical Association express condolences to the families of the eight protesters who were killed today. At least 400 others were treated, with 83 of them referred to specialized treatment for serious injuries. At least eight protesters have been treated […]
Statement on the Communications Authority’s Directive to Halt Live Broadcast of Protests and potential shut down of the internet for 56 million Kenyans
Statement on the Communications Authority’s Directive to Halt Live Broadcast of Protests and potential shut down of the internet for 56 million Kenyans. Nairobi, Wednesday, June 25, 2025: The Law Society of Kenya, Police Reforms Working Group and Kenya Medical Association express grave concern over the directive by the Communications Authority of Kenya) directing Kenyan […]
JUSTICE MUST BE SERVED FOR OJWANG’ AND LAW RESPECTED
By Kamau Ngugi, Executive Director, Defenders Coalition JUNE 2025 marks the first anniversary of the nationwide Gen Z protests in Kenya, which were sparked by the unpopular Finance Bill, 2024. Parliament endorsed numerous highly taxed items in a desperate move to excavate the feeling of a population, most of whom are poor, burdened by the […]
POLICE REFORMS WORKING GROUP STATEMENT ON YESTERDAY’S ANARCHY IN THE CAPITAL CITY OF NAIROBI
Nairobi, Wednesday, June 18, 2025: The Police Reforms Working Group strongly condemns the deliberate infiltration of peaceful protests by hundreds violent agitators who attacked protesters and caused mayhem in the County of Nairobi. The violence has resulted in the shooting of at least one unarmed bystander. Twenty-five people had also been hospitalised, five with gunshot […]
How truly public are the public participation forums in Kenya?
By Lucy Ayieko Project officer, Defenders Coalition When the 2010 Constitution was passed, a fundamental foundational principle of governance in the name of public participation was passed. Particularly, Articles 10 (2), 118 (b) and 196 (b) mandate that the state and in its governance, legislation and other initiatives, undertake public participation. This principle recognises the sovereignty […]
PRESS STATEMENT – PRWG-K Calls for the stepping aside of Eliud Lagat, Deputy Inspector General of Police
PRWG-K Calls for the stepping aside of Eliud Lagat, Deputy Inspector General of Police Nairobi, 11 June 2025, PRWG-K[1] Has reviewed the postmortem findings into the death of Albert Ojwang (31) and confirms, as many Kenyans already know, he did not die from self-inflicted injuries as earlier claimed by the National Police Service. We call […]