Described by the Citizen News Gang as having lost “its innocence,” Tanzania is in a political meltdown. After days of internet shutdowns, blackouts, and curfews, the truth is slowly beginning to shine through the state’s efforts to censor or control information. This raises credible concerns about the conditions of Tanzanian protesters and Kenyans caught up in the violence.
Described by his old friend Anyang’ Nyong’o as “the return of the lion to the mountain,” Raila Amolo Odinga’s death has left Kenya transfixed and in deep reflection. While most attention has focused on his political choices and legacy, his lifelong commitment to human rights deserves equal recognition. During the 1980s and 1990s, Raila Odinga joined a small, yet dedicated network of courageous activists committed to restoring multi-party democracy. These constitutional reforms would bring to an end oppressive laws restricting civic freedoms for millions. For these conscious choices, he directly experienced several significant human rights violations.
Nairobi South Ward MCA Hon. Waithera Chege’s reading of a motion this week to commemorate the life of the late Pheroze Nowrojee (1941–2025) by naming a road after him was well received by community associations and residents in the city. This practice of memorializing people is well established and, in the case of the late Senior Counsel, offers another way of recognising more than three decades of public service to the constitution and his country.
Nairobi, 13 October 2025: Amnesty International Kenya extends its warm congratulations to Claris Ogangah for her appointment as the fifth Chairperson of the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights. Her approval by the National Assembly in September and subsequent appointment by President William Ruto on 2 October 2025 marks a pivotal moment for Kenya’s human rights landscape. We celebrate this milestone with optimism and a renewed sense of solidarity between our two institutions.
Nairobi, 2 October 2025: Amnesty International Kenya warmly congratulates software developer and civic tech advocate Rose Njeri on her inclusion in the 2025 TIME100 Next Leaders list, a global recognition of emerging leaders shaping the future.
The prolonged detention, horrific torture and deportation of Boniface Mwangi and Agather Atuhaire has drawn international attention to the authoritarian practices of the Tanzanian administration, months before the general election in October. It has also provoked an important debate on the rationale for international trial observers and defense counsel.
As Dutch authorities prepare for the official state visit to Kenya this week to intensify bilateral Dutch-Kenya relations, Amnesty International calls on both authorities to place human rights at the heart of the visit, address human rights violations and commit to accountability for all victims following the recent brutal crackdown on human rights.
One of Uyoma’s most nationally famous daughters is being buried today. Her life and legacy remind us that only those who have yet to cause a victory for humanity should fear death. Roseline “Adhis” Odede died on 3 January 2024 from a short fearless battle with cancer. Her last public statement as Chairperson of the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights was a fitting tribute to a person who made protecting others into a profession.
Nairobi, 4 January 2024: The Amnesty family of members, staff, and the board receive the news of Roseline Odede’s demise yesterday with profound sadness. Roseline was a dedicated and capable advocate for human rights and constitutionalism. Since her appointment to chair the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights in 2022, she has been a steadfast ally in the demand for governance by the rule of law and professional, human rights-based policing.
Few have lived a life as transformative and bold as Dr Ikaweba Muhajir Bunting (74). Ikaweba died in Arusha, Tanzania after three months of battling cancer in a Nairobi hospital. He organised some of the most significant moments in recent Pan-African history. As he is laid to rest today, what can we take from his life that can carry Africa forward into the future?
As the sun sets over the bustling streets of Dakar, delegates from across the African and Middle Eastern regions gather at the Amnesty International regional forum; their voices echo a shared commitment to uphold human rights amidst myriad challenges. Against the backdrop of conflict, displacement, and authoritarianism, the forum serves as a beacon of hope, uniting advocates and activists in a collective pursuit of justice.
The world is reaping a harvest of terrifying consequences from escalating conflict and the near breakdown of international law, said Amnesty International as it launched its annual The State of the World’s Human Rights report today, delivering an assessment of human rights in 155 countries.