No sooner had the dust of 2023 settled than the leader of the executive arm of Kenya’s government launched missiles of subliminal jibes aimed at what he termed “a tyrannical and corrupt judiciary.” President William Ruto—a product of the Kenyan Supreme Court’s ruling on the 2022 Presidential Petition—averred that some judges were bent on sabotaging [...]
Search Results for: Raila Odinga
Kenya dispatch: country reeling from brutal police response to anti-government demonstrations
Aynsley Genga is a JURIST Senior Correspondent in Kenya. She files this dispatch from Nairobi. What exactly is a country? Is a country its people, or is a country its government? Moreover, do the laws of a country exist to serve its citizens or do they exist to serve the whims of its government? And [...]
Kenya rights groups call for action to calm hot political climate
Rights groups and civil society organisations in Kenya called Sunday for the urgent reconstitution of the country’s Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission and the full repeal of the controversial Finance Act 2023 in a bid to calm the hot political climate in the country. Their call came after widespread demonstrations last week against the incumbent [...]
Associated Press: Kenya police ordered not to report deaths during protests
A Kenyan police official told the Associated Press on Thursday that police received a warning against reporting deaths that have occurred as a result of this week’s opposition protests over the country’s high cost of living. Although it was unclear who issued the direct order, it came after opposition leader Raila Odinga called for three [...]
Aynsley Genga is a JURIST Senior Correspondent in Kenya. She files this dispatch from Nairobi. On Thursday, July 20th, Kenya entered its second day of demonstrations, in a series of nationwide opposition protests planned from Wednesday to Friday this week. Since Wednesday, most businesses have been closed, either in support of the protests or due [...]
Kenya police oversight body launches investigation into fatal police shootings of tax protesters
The Kenya Human Rights Commission announced Wednesday that police authorities killed at least three protesters on Wednesday and another seven on Tuesday. The deadly protests come only a week after police shot and killed two stone-throwing protesters from the nationwide taxation protests. As a result of the violence, Kenya’s Independent Police Oversight Authority (IPOA) announced [...]
Kenya dispatch: more demonstrations over high cost of living prompt brutal police crackdown
Aynsley Genga is a JURIST Senior Correspondent in Kenya. She files this dispatch from Nairobi. On Wednesday, 12th July, Kenyans once again took to the streets to demonstrate against the tax-laden Finance Bill and the current high cost of living. The demonstrations took place under the guidance of Raila Odinga, Azimio party leader and the [...]
Aynsley Genga is a JURIST Senior Correspondent in Kenya. She files this dispatch from Nairobi. July 7th, also known as Saba Saba (7-7), is a very significant and historical day for Kenya as a nation. It was on this day 33 years ago, in 1990, that Kenyans all over the country took to the streets [...]
Aynsley Genga is a JURIST Staff Correspondent in Kenya. Anti-government demonstrations were held across Kenya both Monday and Thursday this week after a call by Azimio opposition party leader Raila Odinga. These have been just about all that everyone has been talking about. The whole week seemed like a movie. We have those who are [...]
Kenya police ban government protests following student protester's death
Kenya’s police chief Sunday announced a ban on opposition protests scheduled for Monday. The ban comes in the wake of last week’s protests, which devolved into riots. South African-based news channel eNCA reported that Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome said, “We will not allow violent demonstrations.” The protests are scheduled across the country for [...]