On 30 September and 1 October 2026, Amnesty International Kenya convened its 5th Annual Delegates Conference (ADC), bringing together delegates representing members from its 98 Circles of Conscience (COCs) to discuss governance and key decisions shaping the organisation’s work. As a section, the ADC provides a space for members to participate in decision-making and hold the secretariate accountable. 

Trust, Accountability, and the Citizen at the Centre of Data Governance

Designed for Whom? Trust, Accountability, and the Citizen at the Centre of Data Governance

The reported abduction of Tanzanian national and opposition activist Twaha Mwaipaya in Kamulu, Machakos County, Kenya on 25 October 2026 raises urgent questions about the safety of people seeking refuge in Kenya from persecution and political repression in their home countries. Mwaipaya was reportedly travelling in a taxi to visit friends when individuals using three vehicles, including a Toyota Land Cruiser hardtop, intercepted the vehicle and took him away. His whereabouts and safety must be established urgently. The Kenyan authorities must act immediately to locate him, ensure his protection, and investigate the circumstances of his disappearance.

Between 2023 and 2025, Kenya witnessed an unprecedented upsurge in civic action and mostly youth-led protests driven by severe economic pressure, the rising cost of living, the removal of essential subsidies, and increased regressive taxation. Rather than addressing these structural economic grievances, the state increasingly resorted to authoritarian practices, severe crackdowns, arbitrary arrests, unlawful surveillance, and media suppression to concentrate power and shield authorities from accountability.

Kenyan authorities have increasingly used authoritarian tactics, including arbitrary arrests and detention, abductions, malicious prosecution of protesters, surveillance, and media repression, to crack down on protests against deepening economic hardship and the government’s aggressive fiscal policies, Amnesty International said in a new report today. 

Reports of an alleged assault involving at Forest Primary School in Kiminini have brought back memories that many of us would rather leave buried in our childhoods. It takes us back to those dreadful staffrooms which served more like panel-beating chambers. For me and I suspect for many of us, the staffroom was never merely a room where teachers prepared lessons, marked exercise books and discussed the business of educating children. It was more like a teachers-only club, a territory where students were unwelcome intruders and daring to walk in uninvited amounted to trespassing on sacred ground. Woe unto you if you had a reputation for poor grades.

NAIROBI, 7 OCTOBER 2026: Amnesty International Kenya acknowledges the Government of Kenya’s confirmation of the country’s first imported case of Bundibugyo Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) and the death of the patient in Nairobi. We extend heartfelt condolences to the family and loved ones of the deceased.

As a student and a young person concerned about violence among young people, I am deeply concerned by allegations that a female student was assaulted by another female student in a club washroom. Violence, intimidation, and humiliation have no place in our society whether on campus, online, or in social spaces frequented by young people. While the incident is reported to have happened outside university grounds, it raises important questions about how we relate to one another and the need to promote respect, dignity, and peaceful coexistence among students and young people.  Regardless of disagreements or personal differences, no student should resort to violence, intimidation, or harassment. Students should be able to learn, socialize, and participate in public life without fear of violence, humiliation, or retaliation. Whether interactions take place on campus, online, or in social settings, every person deserves to be treated with dignity and respect.  The Constitution of Kenya protects every person’s dignity and provides protection against violence and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment. The Constitution of Kenya protects the inherent dignity of every person and guarantees every person freedom and security, including protection from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. Article 28 protects dignity, while Article 29 protects the freedom and security of the person, including protection from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. As young people, we have a responsibility to reject a culture where violence is normalised as a way of settling disagreements. Violence, intimidation and humiliation should never be accepted as legitimate ways of resolving disagreements.  I therefore call upon students across our universities to SAY NO TO BULLYING, SAY NO TO VIOLENCE, AND SPEAK UP AGAINST ABUSE. When we witness bullying or violence, we should not celebrate it, encourage it, or remain silent. This also means resisting online harassment, doxxing, public shaming, or the circulation of unverified allegations about those involved.  We should support those affected, encourage safe reporting, and avoid celebrating, encouraging or sharing content that humiliates or targets individuals.   At the same time, allegations must be investigated fairly and impartially. The person accused is entitled to due process and should not be treated as guilty before the facts are established. Upholding the rights of survivors and complainants must go hand in hand with respecting the rights of those accused.  As young Kenyans, let us choose dialogue over violence, respect over humiliation, and solidarity over silence. Every person has the right to live free from violence, intimidation, and abuse, with their dignity and fundamental rights respected. Protecting these rights requires rejecting violence in all its forms while ensuring that every allegation is addressed fairly, impartially, and with respect for the rights of everyone involved. Let us stand together against bullying and violence. Every student deserves to learn in an environment where their dignity, safety, and rights are respected. 

This month, Kenyans learnt from technology company Anthropic that unidentified actors had been using artificial intelligence to create the appearance of grassroots political support ahead of the 2027 election. In its September 2026 misuse report, Anthropic says a pro-government operator used its Claude models to prepare fake grassroots social media posts ahead of the country’s 2027 general election. The actor generated batches of exactly 50 tweets at a time and explicitly instructed the model to make the posts look like organic commentary and not a coordinated campaign. 

Nairobi, 29 September 2026: Today, we stood in court in solidarity with the families of Jamal Mohamed and Dahir Kheir as they continue their long pursuit of truth, justice and accountability. We had expected the final prosecution witness to take the stand, but the matter has now been adjourned to 26 November 2026 for mention. 

Kenya’s non-profit organisations handle some of the country’s most sensitive personal information, including beneficiary records, health data, case files, and donor details, often without a clear path to legal compliance. This manual provides non-profit organisations in Kenya with a practical framework to bridge the gap between legal theory under the Data Protection Act, 2019 and real-world application. Developed out of a recognition that data protection is directly tied to the dignity, safety, autonomy, and trust of the communities served, this publication translates complex privacy laws into operational steps for non-profit staff.