NAIROBI, Kenya- A coalition of more than 25 human rights and governance organisations has condemned what it described as state-sponsored violence, police brutality and systematic attacks on journalists during the Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election, warning that the country risks sliding back into an era of politically motivated repression.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the Police Reforms Working Group-Kenya (PRWG-K) said the July 16 by-election, which was expected to be a peaceful democratic exercise, instead degenerated into “a theatre of terror” marked by armed intimidation, attacks on the media and widespread electoral malpractices.
The coalition alleged that heavily armed, hooded and masked men operating in civilian clothes, alongside suspected plainclothes police officers, stormed polling stations, fired live ammunition into the air, lobbed tear-gas canisters, arrested election observers and assaulted journalists in an attempt to suppress independent reporting.
“What was meant to be a peaceful democratic exercise for the residents of Ol Kalou to choose their representative freely was instead transformed into a theatre of terror,” the statement read.
Praise for Voters
Despite the violence, the coalition commended Ol Kalou residents for turning out to vote despite what it described as widespread intimidation.
“Facing down armed intimidation and refusing to be cowed, they showed up in large numbers to cast their votes. Their resilience is a powerful testament to the unyielding democratic spirit of Kenyans.”
The organisations also condemned attempts to disrupt voting, saying elections belong to voters and should not be manipulated through violence or intimidation.
They argued that the deployment of masked and unidentified armed individuals in what they described as official state security vehicles undermined police accountability and encouraged impunity.
IEBC Faulted Over Election Malpractices
While commending the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) for conducting polling under difficult circumstances, PRWG-K criticised the electoral agency for allegedly failing to address pre-election irregularities.
The coalition cited alleged voter bribery, violence, hate speech and intimidation during the campaign period, saying failure to act before polling day compromised the integrity of the election.
Journalists Targeted
The rights organisations condemned attacks against journalists covering the by-election, saying the assaults amounted to an attack on press freedom.
Among the cases highlighted was that of The Star photojournalist Enos Teche, who was reportedly assaulted by armed masked men outside St. Joseph’s Catholic Comprehensive School.
According to the coalition, the attackers fired gunshots into the air, lobbed tear gas, assaulted him and confiscated his camera equipment.
The statement also cited the assault of NTV cameraman George Kieru, who was reportedly beaten, stunned with a taser and robbed of his camera equipment.
It further alleged that Nation Media Group journalist Brygettes Ngana was assaulted by suspected plainclothes officers, who confiscated her team’s equipment.
In another incident, the coalition claimed an unnamed female journalist had a pistol pointed at her stomach before her mobile phone was seized by armed men.
PRWG-K described the attacks as a deliberate attempt to impose an information blackout and shield perpetrators from public scrutiny.
Constitutional Violations Alleged
The coalition argued that the attacks violated multiple constitutional provisions, including Article 34, which protects media freedom, and Articles 38 and 81, which guarantee citizens the right to free, fair and violence-free elections.
It also claimed the deployment of masked and unidentified armed officers contravened provisions of the National Police Service Act requiring police officers to be identifiable while on duty.
The coalition further alleged that the beatings, theft of journalists’ equipment and intimidation of civilians amounted to criminal offences under the Penal Code.
PRWG-K also criticised the arrest of human rights defender Ademba Allans, saying he was detained while monitoring the election.
Although he was later released on police bail, the coalition said police retained his mobile phone and camera, which it argued hindered his election observation work.
Demands for Investigations
The organisations called on the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to identify, arrest and prosecute those responsible for attacking journalists and other civilians during the by-election.
They also urged the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) to investigate commanders who allegedly authorised the deployment of masked officers.
The coalition further called on the National Police Service (NPS) to recover and return cameras, mobile phones and other equipment confiscated from journalists and election observers.
It also urged the IEBC and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) to invoke the Election Offences Act by investigating and prosecuting individuals implicated in electoral offences.
The coalition warned that the use of masked armed units during elections, together with attacks on journalists and election observers, posed a serious threat to Kenya’s democratic institutions.
“We will not stand by and watch the country return to the dark days of police-enforced political terror,” the organisations said.
The statement was jointly signed by PRWG-K members, including the Independent Medico-Legal Unit (IMLU), Amnesty International Kenya, the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC), FIDA-Kenya, ICJ Kenya, HAKI Africa, Transparency International Kenya, Article 19 Eastern Africa, Defenders Coalition, Kituo Cha Sheria, the Missing Voices Coalition and several other civil society organisations.