Twelve embassies have jointly called on the Kenyan government to uphold citizens’ right to peaceful assembly ahead of planned demonstrations on Wednesday.
In a statement released Tuesday, ambassadors and high commissioners from Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, Ireland, Australia, Switzerland, Norway, Canada, the UK, the US, Sweden, and Finland expressed concern over recent acts of violence against protesters.
The upcoming demonstrations are being held in memory of the more than 60 people killed and hundreds injured during the anti-finance bill protests that took place in June and July 2024.
The diplomats also criticized the deployment of plainclothes officers operating in unmarked vehicles, terming it illegal based on a High Court ruling.
They urged the government to ensure full compliance with the law.
“We condemn the use of force to disrupt peaceful gatherings, as witnessed in Nairobi recently,” the statement read.
They emphasized that protecting the right to protest is essential to preserving civic space and a fundamental pillar of Kenya’s democracy. The envoys further called for swift investigations into reported incidents of violence against peaceful demonstrators.