NAIROBI, Kenya – The Kenyan government has formally designated the Muslim Brotherhood and Hizb-ur-Tahrir as terrorist organisations, placing them under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (Cap. 59B).
The declaration, published in Legal Notice No. 157 of the Kenya Gazette on September 19, 2025, was issued by Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen under Section 3(3) of the Act.
The order — titled Prevention of Terrorism (Declaration of Specified Entities) Order, 2025 — took effect immediately, criminalising membership, fundraising, support, or propaganda tied to the two groups.
Anyone found associating with them risks arrest, asset freezes, prosecution, and extended detention under court supervision.
“Kenya cannot afford to wait for extremist networks to gain a foothold. This declaration is both preemptive and protective,” CS Murkomen said in the notice.
The Muslim Brotherhood, founded in Egypt in 1928, is widely considered the ideological foundation of modern political Islam and has branches across the Middle East and North Africa.
Countries including Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, and Russia have previously outlawed the group.
Hizb-ur-Tahrir, meanwhile, has faced bans in several nations over its calls for a global Islamic caliphate.
Kenya’s move underscores its determination to stay ahead of radicalisation threats.
The country has suffered some of the deadliest terrorist attacks in East Africa, including the 2013 Westgate Mall siege, the 2015 Garissa University massacre, and the 2019 DusitD2 hotel assault — all linked to al-Shabaab.
In response, authorities have intensified counterterrorism measures, from military operations in Somalia to intelligence sharing, border security, and deradicalisation initiatives.
Officials credit these steps with reducing urban terror incidents in recent years.
By outlawing the two organisations, the Interior Ministry said it aims to consolidate those gains and deny extremist movements space to mobilise locally.
The Gazette notice does not specify an expiry date, meaning the designation will remain in effect unless revoked by a court or the Cabinet Secretary.
Kenya’s decision, analysts say, positions the country more firmly among states that view early proscription of extremist groups as a key defense against terrorism.
