NAIROBI, Kenya – In a discussion on Citizen TV’s JKlive Show on Wednesday night, Irũngũ Houghton, Executive Director of Amnesty International Kenya, expressed his concerns on tactics used by the government to manage the Gen Z-led protests.
Houghton argued that the government is employing strategies designed to counter hardened terrorists against peaceful protestors in the country.
“The tools and strategies that have been used against Gen Z protestors are tools that were designed for hardened and dangerous terrorists. Why are we using those methods on peaceful protestors, cartoonists, and people who have no criminal record or any act of violence that can be attributed to them?” Houghton questioned.
Irungu Houghton: What we are seeing right now with JB Muturi and the President is not something that has not happened before. The tools and strategies that have been used against Gen Z protestors are tools that were designed for hardened and dangerous terrorists. Why are we using…
Kenyan youths demanding a stronger economy and a brighter future have been clashing with government forces in protests since June.
The vocal ones have found themselves fighting for their freedom and security as they are at a high risk of being abducted.
According to human rights groups, at least 82 Kenyans have been abducted since the Gen-Z protests began in June, with 26 people still unaccounted for.
Although the missing Kenyans are believed to be in the custody of security agents, the police have denied being involved in the abductions.
The abductions and disappearances are part of the strategies the government is using against individuals who have been criticizing the government, particularly those who have voiced their opposition on social media platforms like X.
Houghton argued that the government should balance between respecting civil liberties and maintaining public order.
As the government continues to use these strategies against its citizens, human rights groups continue to monitor closely, call for the protection of peaceful protestors from unwarranted violence, and respect of human rights.
