NAIROBI, 24 JUNE 2026: Amnesty International Kenya strongly condemns the arrest of activist Bob Njagi in Kajiado County over allegations that he was mobilising support for the peaceful memorial processions scheduled for Thursday, 25 June 2026, in Kitengela Town.
According to media reports, Kajiado County Police Commander Alex Shikondi confirmed that the arrest followed circulation of a social media video in which Njagi allegedly urged young people to participate. The Commander reportedly justified the arrest on grounds that large numbers could turn out and cause destruction of property. Amnesty International Kenya reminds the National Police Service that the possibility of peaceful assembly cannot be used as a basis for arbitrary arrest or restriction of fundamental freedoms. The duty of the police is to facilitate and protect assemblies, while taking lawful and proportionate measures to safeguard public safety and property.
The arrest of an individual for planning, organising, or mobilising support for a peaceful protest is a direct affront to the Constitution of Kenya, 2010. Article 37 guarantees the rights to peaceful assembly, demonstration, picketing, and petition. These rights are further protected under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). Freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly are essential pillars of democratic governance.
Organising or mobilising support for a peaceful protest is not a crime. Attempts to criminalise protest organisation or intimidate those exercising their civic rights undermine the rule of law and erode public confidence in state institutions. This arrest appears intended to intimidate citizens and suppress participation in the planned memorial processions, creating a chilling effect on constitutional freedoms.
The National Police Service has a constitutional obligation to facilitate and protect peaceful assemblies, not to frustrate or suppress them. This obligation is reinforced by the AfricanCommission on Human and Peoples’ Rights Guidelines on Freedom of Association and Assembly in Africa and the UN Human Rights Committee’s interpretation of Article 21 of the ICCPR, both of which affirm that states must enable peaceful assemblies and refrain from penalising organisers.
Amnesty International Kenya therefore, calls for:
- The immediate and unconditional release of Bob Njagi;
- An end to harassment, intimidation, surveillance, and arbitrary arrest of individuals organising or participating in peaceful protests;
- The National Police Service to publicly reaffirm its commitment to protecting and facilitating the planned memorial processions in accordance with the Constitution and Kenya’s international obligations;
- All state agencies to respect, protect, promote, and fulfil the rights to freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly.
As Kenyans prepare to commemorate those who lost their lives during the June 2024 protests, the State must resist the temptation to respond to public dissent with repression. The appropriate response to peaceful assembly is protection, not persecution.
Signed, George Morara Executive Director Amnesty International Kenya
ENDS
Media Contact: Mathias T. Kinyoda Email: [email protected]