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Former presidential aspirant Reuben Kigame's criticism spotlights a documented decline in civil liberties across the EAC, as reports from international observers reveal a troubling pattern of state-sanctioned violence, repression, and impunity in Kenya and neighbouring countries.

NAIROBI, KENYA – Former presidential candidate Reuben Kigame on Wednesday, November 5, 2025, condemned what he described as a surge in human rights violations within Kenya and the broader East African Community (EAC). His remarks coincide with multiple reports from international human rights organisations that paint a grim picture of deteriorating civil liberties and escalating state-led repression across the region.
Speaking to a local television station, Kigame highlighted the case of two Kenyan activists, Bob Njagi and Nicholas Oyoo, who were reportedly abducted and are being held incommunicado in Uganda. He criticised the Kenyan Ministry of Foreign Affairs for its silence on the matter, suggesting it signifies a broader decline in the state's commitment to protecting its citizens' rights. “Kenya is not a free society; we have reverted to the time when the media was not free and critics were being tortured,” Kigame stated, referencing recent abductions of youth activists in Kenya.
Kigame's assertions are substantiated by independent analysis from watchdog groups. Human Rights Watch's (HRW) World Report 2025 concluded that Kenya's human rights trajectory has “deteriorated over the past year.” The report details heavy-handed crackdowns on nationwide protests against the high cost of living and the 2024 Finance Bill, where authorities were accused of harassing, intimidating, and arresting protest leaders and civil society groups. The UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) also expressed deep concern over the use of lethal force by Kenyan police during protests in June and July 2025, which resulted in multiple deaths and hundreds of injuries.
The state-funded Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) reported that between June and October 2024, police were responsible for at least 63 killings and 87 abductions. Beyond protest suppression, HRW and other organisations have documented persistent issues including a high rate of femicide, threats against the judiciary by the executive, and a lack of accountability for police brutality and extrajudicial killings.
The situation in Kenya reflects a wider, troubling trend across the East African Community, where civic space is shrinking and state security apparatuses are increasingly implicated in abuses.
Collectively, these reports from organisations including the United Nations, Human Rights Watch, and Amnesty International validate the concerns voiced by figures like Kigame. They depict an East African region where the fundamental rights to expression, assembly, and political participation are under sustained attack, with accountability for state-level abuses remaining elusive.