Five years after the enactment of the Data Protection Act (DPA) 2019, Amnesty International Kenya has published a landmark report assessing how Kenyans understand and experience their right to privacy. The study, conducted across 10 counties through focus group discussions and key informant interviews, reveals that while the Data Protection Act 2019 established a strong legal framework, its real impact is still limited by low awareness, weak enforcement, and insufficient regional presence of the regulator.

Acting High Commissioner,

State House and Vigilance House appeared misaligned this week. A rise in civilian deaths in police custody and limited progress in the Baby Pendo case weeks after the Experts Panel on victim compensation was sworn in, raises serious doubts about the justice system’s commitment to public safety and accountability.

Nairobi, 26 September 2025: Victims’ families, Amnesty International Kenya, Utu Wetu Trust, and the International Justice Mission welcome the ruling of the High Court in Nairobi to transfer the Baby Pendo case to the High Court in Kisumu.

Nairobi, 21 September 2024: Fellow activists, friends, and defenders of human rights. Today, we stand here as fellow Kenyans outraged by the ongoing tragedy in Gaza and the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Livestreamed into all our homes, we are witnessing the staggering loss of Palestinian lives and a relentless assault on the universal values that bind us together as a global family.

In another act of complete disregard for the international community, Israeli forces have escalated their assault on Gaza, killing at least 79 people this week, just days before the UN General Assembly convenes in New York. A new Amnesty International report released yesterday reveals why some of the gravest crimes against humanity continue, despite global outrage.

Nairobi, Kenya, September 19, 2025: Amnesty International Kenya extends its congratulations to the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner (ODPC) on its remarkable achievement at the 47th Global Privacy Assembly in Seoul, South Korea. The ODPC’s recognition in four prestigious categories —Education and Public Awareness, Dispute Resolution and Enforcement Measures, Innovation, and the People’s Choice Award —is a testament to its unwavering commitment to protecting the fundamental right to privacy in Kenya.

Nairobi, 20 September 2025: Amnesty International Kenya wishes to respond to remarks attributed to Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen during the Jukwaa La Usalama forum in Homa Bay on 17th September 2025. The remarks indicated that requests for “fuel” made by police officers to the public should not be labelled as corruption. While the logistical and financial challenges facing the police are real, such statements may extend the normalization of bribery within law enforcement and further erode public trust.

Dr. Abdi Mohamed

Several victims’ families, human rights defenders, netizens and bots this week focused on holding the advisory Panel of Experts on compensation for victims of brutal protest policing legally accountable. Their call is clear. Reparations must be swift, transparent and anchored in our constitutional commission and independent offices. It also must not undermine criminal responsibility for state violence. A newly released report strengthens the case for urgent criminal justice reforms to prevent and respond to police related deaths and trauma.

Amnesty International Kenya’s Circles of Conscience (CoCs) are the heartbeat of our work. These self-organised groups of members—found in communities, schools, and universities across the country—are where human rights advocacy comes alive.

Welcome to this edition of the Amnesty International Kenya Gazette. In August, we celebrated young voices reimagining a safe and inclusive digital future, honoured journalists who dared to speak truth to power, and stood in solidarity with survivors of gender-based violence and families of those lost to extrajudicial killings. We share stories of Kilifi’s elders living in fear, the national outcry against femicide, and the ongoing demand for accountability in the Ahmed Rashid case. We also reflect on our 4th Annual Delegates Conference, where members renewed our leadership and direction. Each story is a reminder of our mission—to protect, defend, and advance the rights of all in Kenya.