Nairobi, Saturday, June 28, 2025: The Police Reforms Working Group unequivocally condemns the arbitrary arrest and incarceration of human rights defenders Mr. John Mulingwa Nzau, also known as Garang, and Mr. Mark Amiani, also known as Generali, and Francis Mwangi also known as Chebukati who are reported to have been taken into custody this morning within Machakos County and are presently being heldat Muthaiga Police Station.

CONSULTANCY: Rapid Review of Amnesty International Kenya Financial Systems 2025

Nairobi, 26 June 2025: Yesterday’s violence has claimed at least 16 lives and led to 400 injuries as of 9 pm last night. We have received reports that some police officers are allegedly misadvising victims’ families to bury their loved ones without a postmortem.

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 for gunshot wounds. Three of the injured include police officers. While these figures are confirmed by medics and human rights defenders, sadly, the exact figures may only be known in the course of time.

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 (CA) directing Kenyan media houses to cease live broadcasts of ongoing protests, citing violations of Article 33(2) of the Kenyan Constitution.

Nairobi, 24 June 2025: Amnesty International Kenya takes serious note of mass media reports documenting how violent instigators worked in collusion with or with the consent of police officers during the 17 June protest. The allegations that senior government officials are involved in plans to infiltrate peaceful gatherings and instigate violence must be investigated.

Tomorrow marks one year since the historic #OccupyParliament protest shook the nation’s conscience. As Kenyans prepare to take to the streets again this June 25th, peacefully and within their constitutional right, it is not just a protest. It is a mirror held up to the National Police Service (NPS), a test of whether it serves the Constitution or cowers to political masters.

Tuesday’s street anarchy in Nairobi had me scrambling for dusty copies of the Commission on Inquiry, Ransley and Kriegler reports on 2007/2008 Post Election Violence. Within 72 hours, key figures accused of coordinating the mayhem had criticised the violence, some instigators had apologised, and several national and international voices had condemned the six hours of carnage. What happened to rapidly de-escalate the situation?

Nairobi, Wednesday, June 18, 2025: The Police Reforms Working Group strongly condemns the deliberate infiltration of peaceful protests by hundreds of 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 wounds by 9 pm last night. Apart from serious injuries to individuals, there was uncalculated damage to private businesses and public property across the capital.

The National Police Service bears the primary responsibility of facilitating peaceful assemblies for Kenyans exercising their constitutional rights. Since 25 June 2024, the courts have also pronounced themselves on what is acceptable police conduct during the exercise of people’s right to peaceful assembly. Officers and their commanders will be individually liable for violating international human rights standards, the Constitution and Kenyan law.

The brutal murder of Albert Ojwang while in police custody has yet again pricked the country’s moral conscience, reminding us that police reforms are more necessary now than ever before.

As East Africa’s Finance Ministers unveiled their budgets this week, the region’s top philanthropic funders met in Kigali amid growing uncertainty in global development financing. For all that gathered, it was clear that without bold, innovative action, development financing faces an uncertain future.