Latest news with #LSK
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Are East African governments uniting to silence dissent?
Kenya has been hit by a recent wave of repression, tarnishing its reputation as a beacon of democracy in East Africa. Critics fear that it is sliding down the path of her neighbours - Uganda and Tanzania, both of which are notorious for cracking down on dissent. Kenya's laws are widely regarded as being more progressive - particularly in protecting fundamental freedoms like the right to protest. But Kenya has witnessed an increasing crackdown on protests - the latest example being the killing of at least 10 people in nationwide demonstrations against President William Ruto's government while it attempted to ban live TV and radio coverage of the protests. "Rogue Regime" - declared the headline of Kenya's respected Standard newspaper as it pointed out that young people had flooded the streets in defiant remembrance of those gunned down a year ago in mass anti-tax demonstrations but "Instead of a listening ear they were met with razor wire, armoured trucks and the cold grip of repression". But as far as Interior Minister Kipchumba Murkomen is concerned, the police showed "remarkable restraint" as they foiled an "attempted coup". "We condemn the criminal anarchists who in the name of peaceful demonstrations unleashed a wave of violence, looting, sexual assault and destruction upon our people," he said, accusing the protesters of attacking police stations and injuring 300 officers. However, the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) condemned the police for their handling of the protest. "The unnecessary aggression and brute force that culminated in the senseless loss of life and senseless destruction of property have no place in a free democratic society," it said. The crackdown came just weeks after a 31-year-old blogger and teacher, Albert Ojwang, died in police custody. He was arrested after being accused of defaming a senior police officer - and died in detention of assault wounds, an autopsy found. His death triggered a small protest in the capital, Nairobi, which police clamped down on and a street vendor, who was caught in the crossfire - shot at close-range, is fighting for his life in hospital. The LSK denounced his shooting as unbefitting for "any sane democracy". Its comment brought into sharp focus the fact that Kenya risks losing its status as a democracy that many Tanzanians and Ugandans envied – and drew inspiration from. Tanzanian political analyst Nicodemus Minde said there had long been an "appreciation" among Tanzanians of the ability of Kenyans to "speak truth to power". It was a view shared by Tanzania's main opposition leader Tundu Lissu who told the BBC last year that "We have not pressed hard enough for democratic reform". "What Kenya did to build its democratic space is something we need to do," he said. Having miraculously survived an assassination attempt after being shot 16 times in 2017, Lissu has become a symbol of state repression in Tanzania. He is currently in detention, charged with treason for rallying his supporters under the slogan "No reform; no elections". The government saw this as an attempt by Lissu to launch a rebellion – and he risks being sentenced to death if convicted. The 57-year-old opposition leader sees his detention as an attempt by the Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party – which has been in power since independence in 1961– to clear its path to victory in presidential and parliamentary elections scheduled for October. This perception has been strengthened by the fact that his Chadema party has been barred from contesting the poll after it refused to sign an electoral code of conduct that it believed would undermine its right to campaign freely. The opposition in Uganda sees itself in a similar situation, pointing out that President Yoweri Museveni has been in power for almost 40 years, and – along with his son, Muhoozi Kainerugaba, who heads the army – is cracking down on political rivals in the build-up to elections in early 2026. Ugandan opposition politician Kizza Besigye has been in detention since November, with the government wanting to try him for treason in a military court after accusing him of plotting to overthrow the government – a charge he denies. Although Kenya has an independent judiciary and holds regular elections that lead to power changing hands, Martha Karua – one of the country's most respected human rights lawyers, a former justice minister and the leader of a small opposition party – believes that democracy is under threat in all three East African states. "We are staring at a regional crisis – not at an economic crisis, not a crisis of trade, but of democracy itself," she said at a recent press conference. Activists like her are alarmed by the fact that more than 80 Kenyans have been abducted in the past year by people who never identified themselves, raising fears that this was the government's latest strategy to crush dissent after the protests over moves to increase taxes amidst a cost-of-living crisis. There is also mounting evidence that Kenya is no longer a safe haven for Ugandans and Tanzanians, with security agencies from the three states apparently colluding to crack down on the opposition. Besigye was in Nairobi for a book launch in November, when he vanished - only to surface four days later in a military court in Uganda. The government in Uganda accused him of trying to negotiate an arms deal in Kenya to launch a rebellion back home and said he had been arrested in a cross-border operation carried out with the knowledge of Kenya's intelligence services. Kenya's government initially denied this, saying it was unaware of the Ugandan operation on its soil, although Kenya's foreign minister recently told local media that "there were certain issues" about Besigye's visit in Kenya and "he had to go". He did not elaborate. About two months after Besigye's ordeal, exiled Tanzanian activist Maria Sarungi Tsehai said she was abducted by armed men in Nairobi who then, luckily for her, released her several hours later. Ms Tsehai said she was manhandled and choked by four assailants who forced her into a vehicle. "I am sure that the reason for the abduction was to get access to my social media and [because of] the whistleblowing job that I do," she said, as her abductors kept asking how to unlock her phone. Ms Tsehai is a staunch critic of Tanzania's President Samia Suluhu Hassan, and has accused her government of bringing "tyranny back" to the country, despite promising reforms when she took office in 2021 following the death of her authoritarian predecessor, John Magufuli. Karua said that despite the "backsliding" of democracy and human rights in East Africa, there was little concern about this internationally, with the African Union "silent", the United Nations offering "rhetoric - not redress", while the US - "a self-declared champion of liberty" - was facing its "own issues of liberty" under the administration of President Donald Trump. Tanzania deported Karua and two Kenyan activists when they flew into the country in May to show solidarity with Lissu, while Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi and Ugandan lawyer Agather Atuhaire were detained after being allowed to enter. Following their release, both accused the Tanzanian police of sexually abusing them. Tanzania's police denied the accusation, however amidst the outcry over the detention and deportation of foreign activists, President Samia issued a stark warning. "If they have been contained in their country, let them not come here to meddle. Let's not give them a chance. They have already created chaos in their own country," she said. To the dismay of activists, Kenya's President Ruto failed to condemn the alleged abuse and instead, apologised to the Tanzanian government. "To our neighbours from Tanzania, if we have wronged you in any way, forgive us," he said. "If there is anything that Kenyans have done that is not right, we want to apologise." Macharia Munene, a Kenyan professor in international relations, told the BBC that Ruto's apology stemmed from his "perceived failure to keep people [Kenyans] in check". He added that the Tanzanian government had become "jittery" of the potential influence of Kenyan activists on the October elections, with Ruto's government under pressure to "contain troublemakers". For Kenyan activists the worsening repression in the three states has merely strengthened their resolve to fight back. Mr Mwangi, one of Kenya's most prominent human rights campaigners, summed it up by saying: "If these people are united in oppressing their citizens, then we must be united in fighting to remove them from power." 'We live in fear' - forced expulsions taint Kenya's safe haven image BBC identifies security forces who shot Kenya anti-tax protesters Could this be the end of the road for Tanzania's great survivor, Tundu Lissu? Why Kenya's president has so many nicknames Uganda's Yoweri Museveni: How an ex-rebel has stayed in power for 35 year Go to for more news from the African continent. Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica Focus on Africa This Is Africa
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Yahoo
Kenyan blogger was hit and assaulted to death, autopsy reveals
A Kenyan blogger who died in police custody was hit on the head and his death was likely to have been caused by assault, a post-mortem has revealed. This contradicts police claims that Albert Ojwang "sustained head injuries after hitting his head against a cell wall". His death has sparked widespread outrage in Kenya, with rights groups demanding that police be held accountable. Mr Ojwang, 31, was detained following a complaint by the deputy police chief, who accused him of tarnishing his name on social media. "The cause of death is very clear; head injury, neck compression and other injuries spread all over the body that are pointing towards assault," state pathologist Bernard Midia said. Police have not yet commented on the findings. Mr Ojwang was arrested in Homa Bay, a town in western Kenya, on Friday, over a post on X that was allegedly critical of Deputy Inspector General of Police Eliud Lagat. He was subsequently transferred over 350km (220 miles) to the capital, Nairobi, and booked into the Central Police Station on Saturday. Police said he was later found unconscious in his cell with self-inflicted injuries. But an autopsy, conducted by five pathologists who released a unanimous report, revealed that Mr Ojwang had severe head injuries and suffered neck compression and multiple soft tissue trauma. Dr Midia, who led the team of pathologists, said that Mr Ojwang did not hit himself on the wall, as police had said in a statement on Sunday. He said if Mr Ojwang had done this, the pattern of injuries would have been different, and frontal bleeding on the head would be seen. "But the bleeds that we found on the scalp… on the skin of the head were spaced, including on the face, sides of the head and the back of the head," Dr Midia said at a press conference. "There were also multiple soft tissue injuries spread all over the body, including the head, neck, upper limbs and the trunk and lower limbs... these were injuries that were externally inflicted," he added. The injuries were consistent with "external assault" and there were also signs of a struggle, according to pathologists. Faith Odhiambo, president of the Law Society of Kenya (LSK), said the autopsy report clearly showed that Mr Ojwang had been "tortured" and "brutally murdered" in police custody. "We will continue to pile pressure until every single officer involved is held personally liable. We won't accept more excuses," Ms Odhiambo said. Veteran opposition leader Raila Odinga has condemned Mr Ojwang's "horrifying" death, saying it added to a long list of "young and defenceless Kenyans whose lives have been taken too soon, in brutal and senseless circumstances, at the hands of the police". Inspector-General of Police Douglas Kanja earlier suspended several officers who were on duty at the time of Mr Ojwang's death. But human rights groups have demanded for more action, terming the blogger's death as a possible attempt to silence the digital community through intimidation and fear. A crowd of activists, holding placards and chanting "Stop killing us", protested on Monday outside Nairobi City mortuary, where Mr Ojwang's body is being kept. Kenya's Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) has launched an inquiry into his death. Why Kenya's president has so many nicknames The 'tax collector' president sparking Kenyan anger BBC identifies security forces who shot Kenya anti-tax protesters Go to for more news from the African continent. Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica Focus on Africa This Is Africa
Time of India
09-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Kenya death-in-custody victim was arrested for criticising cop online
Kenya's police chief said Monday that a man who died in custody over the weekend had been arrested for criticising a senior officer. The country was already on edge as it marks a year since massive protests over tax rises and corruption that triggered a police response in which at least 60 were killed. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Albert Ojwang, 31, was found unconscious in a cell in Nairobi's central police station on Saturday and later pronounced dead in hospital. The police said he hit his own head against the wall. "We saw the body yesterday... (it) had a lot of injuries on the hands, the shoulder area, the head was swollen all around the frontal part... and there was a lot of blood oozing from the nose and mouth," Julius Juma, lawyer for Ojwang's family, told reporters and supporters gathered outside the city's morgue on Monday. Police Inspector General Douglas Kanja told reporters that Ojwang was arrested along with several others following a complaint by his deputy, Eliud Kipkoech Lagat. "There was a complaint that had been launched by the (deputy inspector-general) about his name being tarnished," Kanja said. Local media said the group were arrested over posts on social media. Ojwang was arrested in western Kenya but transferred more than 250 kilometres (150 miles) to Nairobi, "without proper orders from the court", the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) said on Monday. The move was evidence of "bad faith and malice in the arrest", the LSK said, adding that it refuted "any proposition that his death was an accident". Amnesty International earlier said Ojwang's death "must be urgently, thoroughly and independently investigated". Kenyan authorities have been accused of a harsh crackdown on critics of the government, with more than 80 illegally detained since the June 2024 protests, according to rights groups -- some just for sharing cartoons or satirical images of President William Ruto. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Former attorney general Justin Muturi, who says his own son was illegally detained by security forces during the protests, said the circumstances surrounding Ojwang's death were "not just suspicious, they are outrageous". "They insult the intelligence of Kenyans and raise very serious questions about the conduct and accountability of our law enforcement agencies," he wrote on X.
eNCA
03-06-2025
- General
- eNCA
Tanzania faces call to investigate activists' torture claims
DAR ES SALAAM - The international community must pressure Tanzania to investigate police officers accused of sexually torturing Kenyan and Ugandan activists last month, a rights coalition in Kenya said on Tuesday. Boniface Mwangi and Agather Atuhaire were detained in Tanzania's business capital Dar es Salaam between 19-23 May when they attempted to attend the trial of opposition leader Tundu Lissu, who is charged with treason and faces a potential death penalty. They have both detailed torture and sexual abuse by the police officers who detained them. On Tuesday, the Police Reforms Working Group, a coalition of Kenyan rights organisations, called on "the East African Community and the international community to demand that the government of Tanzania hold accountable the police officers and their commanding officers responsible for the torture, assault, and sexual assault committed against Boniface Mwangi and Agather Atuhaire." The group spoke alongside the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) at a press conference in Nairobi. "Torture and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment are serious crimes under multiple treaties and international law," they said. "The government of Tanzania must arrest and prosecute all officers suspected of responsibility for the human rights violations against Boniface Mwangi and Agather Atuhaire and bring them to justice in a fair trial." Irungu Houghton, director of Amnesty International Kenya, said Tanzania was engaged in "a brutal campaign against all forms of dissent" ahead of elections in October. President Samia Suluhu Hassan is running for re-election but her government has banned the main opposition party, Chadema, after it insisted on reforms before taking part.
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Outrage in Kenya over detention of software developer
Kenyans have expressed outrage over the detention of a software developer who created a tool to help people oppose the government's annual finance bill because of fears that it will raise the cost of living. Rose Njeri was detained on Friday after police raided her home in the capital, Nairobi, and seized electronic devises, activists said. Police and the government have not yet commented on the detention of the mother of two. Mass protests broke out last year after the government proposed tax hikes, forcing President William Ruto to withdraw the 2024 finance bill. The bill outlines the government's spending priorities for the next financial year, and how it intends to raise income. At least 50 people were killed and dozens were abducted in a security force crackdown to end the protests that broke out last year. Law Society of Kenya (LSK) president Faith Odhiambo told the BBC Newsday radio programme that Ms Njeri's detention was a "recurrence of dictatorship". The 'tax collector' president sparking Kenyan anger BBC identifies security forces who shot Kenya anti-tax protesters On Sunday, a group of activists gathered outside a police station in Nairobi, where the software developer is being held, to demand her release. Ms Odhiambo said that Ms Njeri - whom activists visited in prison - was "crestfallen" because with Monday being a public holiday, she had not yet been brought to court. Attempts to get her released on bail had failed, she added. "This has always been a government way of oppressing, intimidating and suppressing citizens because they know the courts don't sit over the weekend – and now we have a public holiday," Ms Odhiambo said. Boniface Mwangi, one of the activists who had visited Ms Njeri in custody, said she told them that police had ransacked her house and taken her phone, laptop and hard drives. He said she was worried about her two children. "Imagine having to tell her children that she's in jail for developing a website that eases public participation for Kenyans who want to submit their proposals on the 2025 budget," he said on X. Ms Njeri was detained after sharing a link to a site that flagged clauses in the bill that she said would lead to the cost of living escalating. It also allowed people to email parliament, calling for the bill to be withdrawn. She also raised concern that a proposal to amend tax procedures, allowing the tax authority to access personal data without a court order, could undermine privacy rights. The new finance bill replaces the zero-rated tax provision on essential commodities with tax-exempt status. Zero-rated goods are taxed at 0%, and suppliers do not charge value-added tax (VAT) to customers but can still claim input VAT on the materials used in producing these goods. Tax-exempted goods are also not subject to VAT but suppliers cannot claim back input VAT, leading to higher prices for consumers or reduced profit margins for businesses, economists and activists say. Finance minister John Mbadi recently admitted that tax-exempt goods may be "slightly more expensive" but explained that the move was necessary to close tax loopholes. He said the government had determined that traders do not pass the zero-rating benefit to consumers, while some make "fictitious and fake" claims for refunds. Mbadi is scheduled to present the government's spending and tax proposals in parliament next week. Last week, Ruto apologised to Kenyan youth for "any misstep" in dealing with them since he took office in 2022. Last month, he said that all the people who had been abducted after last year's protests against tax hikes had been "returned to their families". How Kenya's evangelical president has fallen out with churches Kenyan president's humbling shows power of African youth Protesters set fire to Kenya's parliament - but also saved two MPs Mourning mother's anger at Kenyan migrant smugglers Go to for more news from the African continent. Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica Focus on Africa This Is Africa
