Kenyan Gen Z activists captured attention at an African Union meeting in The Gambia, receiving acclaim for their courage and commitment to advocating for a fair economy during nationwide protests in June.
Delegates at the NGO forum convened by the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights in Banjul praised the “courage, determination, and creativity of the Kenyan youth.”
The activists gathered to draft resolutions for the upcoming AU meeting next year, commending their peers for bravely risking their safety to stand up for their beliefs.
“Kenyan Gen Z highlighted the importance of active citizen engagement in addressing issues that directly impact their lives,” remarked commission chairperson Rémy Lumbu during the closing session of the three-day conference.
Kamau Ngugi, executive director of Defenders Coalition, emphasized that while protests are constitutionally protected, the police’s heavy-handed tactics—including abductions and unlawful detentions—warranted the commission’s attention.
“This commission was the first to issue a statement condemning the Kenyan government for its blatant human rights abuses aimed at quelling peaceful protests,” he noted.
He described how officers, sometimes masked and in plain clothes, tracked and detained youth from the streets without judicial authorization, often exceeding the constitutionally mandated 24-hour detention limit.
“We stand in unwavering solidarity with the Kenyan Gen Z activists who risked everything for the integrity of our constitution and the rule of law,” Ngugi asserted.
He acknowledged the commission chairperson’s crucial support for civil society leaders in Kenya. “Every time I spoke with the chairman, he reassured me of his support,” Kamau said.
In a statement issued on June 26, following violent police responses to protests that included storming Parliament, the commission expressed deep concern over the widespread abuses.
Through its country rapporteur on Human Rights in Kenya, Solomon Dersso, the AU’s human rights body stated that it is closely monitoring the situation regarding human rights amidst the mass protests against the tax bill in Kenya.
“The commission has received numerous reports of targeted abductions by unidentified individuals, endangering lives, liberty, and personal security,” it concluded.
