Overview
This September edition of the Amnesty Kenya Gazette captures a month of bold conversations, powerful advocacy, and renewed commitment to justice. We launched the Amnesty Kenya Kikao, a new hybrid dialogue space bringing citizens, experts, and government together to reflect on pressing human rights issues. We celebrated Kenya’s global leadership in data protection, stood firm for press freedom and journalist safety, and challenged remarks that risk normalizing corruption in policing. From reaffirming solidarity with the people of Palestine, to advancing digital rights and privacy awareness in Taita Taveta and Eldoret, and demanding justice for Baby Pendo and victims of police brutality, this edition reflects Amnesty International Kenya’s enduring resolve — to speak truth to power, defend human dignity, and ensure that justice moves from paper to action.
In this issue
- Launching Kikao: A New Space for Human Rights Dialogue and Reflection
- Celebrating Kenya’s Global Leadership in Data Protection
- Championing Inclusive Identity for All
- Standing for Press Freedom and Journalist Safety
- Policing Must Serve All, Not Just Those Who Can Pay
- For Justice, For Humanity, For Palestine
- Creating a Culture of Privacy and Digital Security
- Justice for Baby Pendo: A Step Forward, But the Struggle Continues
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EPISODE 2 OF RIGHTOUS MADNESS
Same Script, Different Cast
Launching Kikao: A New Space for Human Rights Dialogue and Reflection
We kicked off September with the launch of Amnesty Kenya Kikao, hybrid, human rights-centered dialogues designed to bring together ordinary citizens, subject area experts, and government representatives to reflect on emerging human rights issues, debate, and collectively chart the way forward. The inaugural Kikao, themed: Does Class Matter in the Way the State Polices Protests? A Reflection on this Year’s Saba Saba brought together an engaging panel featuring Dr. Barrack Muluka, Publishing Editor and Communications Consultant; Wangui Wanjora, Convener of the Ngong Social Justice Centre; and Dr. Mutuma Ruteere, Director of the National Crime Research Centre. The discussion was moderated by Renee Ngamau, Speaker and life and business strategies coach. Together, they unpacked the layers of class, power, and justice shaping policing in Kenya, especially following this year’s Saba Saba protests.
Dr. Muluka situated the debate within Kenya’s long history of political resistance and systemic repression, while Wangui shared powerful accounts from Ngong — painting a vivid picture of restricted movement, disproportionate force, and the resilience of communities demanding accountability. Dr. Ruteere challenged the audience to envision policing rooted in rights, dignity, and democratic ideals. The Kikao will take place every first Friday of the monthat theRex Masai Assembly Hall, Amnesty International Kenya, and will be livestreamed on Zoom to ensure inclusive participation. To join future Kikao conversations, sign up to our mailing list and follow Amnesty Kenya on social media for updates and highlights.
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Celebrating Kenya’s Global Leadership in Data Protection
Amnesty International Kenya warmly congratulates the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner (ODPC) on its outstanding achievement at the 47th Global Privacy Assembly held 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 — marks a historic moment for Kenya’s data protection journey. This global honour is a powerful affirmation of the ODPC’s dedication to safeguarding the fundamental right to privacy and promoting accountability in the digital age.
Since 2019, Amnesty International Kenya’s Data Governance Programme has worked alongside the ODPC and other partners to strengthen Kenya’s data protection landscape. We have witnessed firsthand the Commissioner’s progress in enforcing compliance with the Data Protection Act (2019) and advancing citizen awareness of privacy rights. As we celebrate this milestone, we also call on the government and stakeholders to ensure the ODPC is adequately funded and empowered to continue its transformative work. Strong institutional support will enable Kenya to deepen its leadership in digital rights, innovation, and human rights protection. Amnesty International Kenya remains steadfast in championing data privacy as a cornerstone of human dignity and freedom.
Championing Inclusive Identity for All
To mark International Identity Day, Amnesty International Kenya reaffirmed that everyone has the right to recognition everywhere as a person before the law — a principle enshrined in Article 6 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Legal identity is not just a bureaucratic formality; it is a gateway to human dignity, enabling access to healthcare, education, voting, and social protection. Yet, across Kenya, many continue to face barriers to recognition due to ethnicity, gender, disability, or poverty, leaving them excluded from essential services and participation in public life.
This year also marked one year since the release of our report on Maisha Namba, Kenya’s proposed digital ID system. The report warned that without a deliberate commitment to human rights, digital identity systems risk entrenching exclusion rather than eliminating it. Amnesty International Kenya continues to urge the Government to adopt inclusive, accessible, and non-discriminatory civil registration and digital ID systems that uphold equality and justice for all. Because recognition before the law is not a privilege — it is a right that every Kenyan must enjoy, without exception.
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Advisory Policy Paper on THE implementation of a Rights-Respecting Digital ID in Kenya
The policy paper provides academic views on the next steps, the need, justification, principles, benefits, and challenges of the Unique Personal Identification and Digital ID in Kenya.
Standing for Press Freedom and Journalist Safety
In September, Amnesty International Kenya joined the Crime Journalists Association of Kenya (CJAK) in calling for the safety in custody of Standard Group photojournalist Collins Kweyu, who had been summoned by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) following a complaint lodged by a Migori-based judge. Kweyu had been investigating a suspected bribery case involving the same judge — a matter of clear public interest. Our call underscored the urgent need to protect journalists from intimidation and reprisals for simply doing their job: exposing truth and demanding accountability.
We welcome Kweyu’s subsequent release and designation as a State witness, a development that affirms the crucial role of the media in strengthening transparency and justice in Kenya. Amnesty International Kenya continues to stand in solidarity with all journalists who face threats, harassment, or criminalization for their work. A free, safe, and independent press remains a cornerstone of democracy and human rights; we will continue to advocate for systems that ensure every journalist can report without fear.
Building a Culture of Privacy and Digital Security
On the data governance front, Amnesty International Kenya continued to advance public understanding of privacy, responsible data practices, and digital rights through awareness forums held in Taita Taveta and Eldoret counties. These engagements brought together community members, activists, and local leaders to discuss how data protection intersects with freedom, dignity, and access to justice in the digital age. Participants explored the importance of ethical data handling and citizen empowerment in a world increasingly shaped by technology and surveillance.
We also convened a digital safety workshop for members of the Human Is My ID Alliance, focused on protecting themselves from online surveillance, intimidation, and harassment. The training equipped participants with practical skills to secure their communications, strengthen their online privacy, and safeguard their digital footprint while continuing to advocate for human rights. Through such initiatives, Amnesty International Kenya remains committed to building a digitally resilient and rights-conscious society, where every person can speak, organise, and defend rights safely — both online and offline.
Policing Must Serve All, Not Just Those Who Can Pay
Amnesty International Kenya strongly condemned recent remarks by Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, made during the Jukwaa La Usalama forum in Homa Bay, suggesting that requests for “fuel” by police officers from the public should not be labelled as corruption. While logistical challenges within the police service are undeniable, such statements risk normalizing bribery, eroding public trust, and undermining the principle of equal protection under the law. Kenyans already fund the police through taxes, and no citizen should be compelled to pay extra to receive protection or justice.
Recalling Kenya’s painful history of police extortion and neglect, Amnesty International Kenya warned that transactional policing would once again leave the poorest and most vulnerable communities exposed to abuse, discrimination, and insecurity. To preserve the spirit of “Utumishi kwa wote”, the government must ensure transparent resourcing of police stations, empower oversight institutions to tackle corruption, and promote trust-based community policing. We urge the Interior Ministry to reaffirm that police service is a public duty, not a privilege for those who can afford to pay. True safety and justice can only thrive when policing is fair, accountable, and accessible to every Kenyan.
For Justice, For Humanity, For Palestine
In September, Amnesty International Kenya stood shoulder to shoulder with Kenyans outraged by the ongoing tragedy in Gaza and the Occupied Palestinian Territories. The world continues to witness, livestreamed into our homes, the staggering loss of Palestinian lives and the relentless assault on universal values that bind humanity together. Amnesty International and countless human rights defenders have spoken clearly: it is time to end the political and economic systems that enable Israel’s crimes. The genocide in Gaza, the unlawful occupation, and the apartheid system that denies Palestinians their most basic rights must stop.
This is not a distant conflict; it is a test of our collective conscience and of Kenya’s commitment to justice, equality, and international law. The International Court of Justice has found a real and imminent risk of genocide, while the United Nations continues to call for Israel’s withdrawal and the realisation of Palestinian self-determination. Amnesty International Kenya urges the Government of Kenya to publicly condemn violations of international law, to support UN resolutions calling for peace and accountability, and to work with the African Union and global partners toward a unified position grounded in human rights. As citizens and civic actors, we must educate, mobilise, and raise our voices for Palestine, for justice, and for humanity because the fight for Palestinian rights is the fight for human dignity everywhere.
Justice for Baby Pendo: A Step Forward, But the Struggle Continues
Amnesty International Kenya, alongside Utu Wetu Trust, International Justice Mission, and victims’ families, welcomed the High Court’s decision to transfer the Baby Pendo case to Kisumu, the city where six-month-old Baby Samantha Pendo was killed and where other survivors of the 2017 police brutality reside. This ruling acknowledges that justice must be accessible to victims and witnesses, ensuring that proceedings take place where the crimes occurred. Holding the trial in Kisumu will ease participation, enable timely evidence gathering, and bring the pursuit of accountability closer to affected communities.
However, while this transfer marks progress, it also highlights the slow and painful pace of justice. Three years after filing, the case has yet to reach trial, derailed by procedural delays, shifting judges, and repeated defence applications. Survivors view these as deliberate tactics to exhaust their pursuit of truth. Equally troubling is the failure to enforce the arrest warrant for Officer Mohamed Baa, who has evaded justice for nearly three years. Amnesty International Kenya calls on the National Police Service to execute the warrant immediately, and on the Judiciary, ODPP, IPOA, and Witness Protection Agency to safeguard witnesses and expedite the trial. The killing, rape, and torture of civilians — including Baby Pendo — cannot remain unresolved. Justice must finally move from paper to action.