Human Rights Watch on Friday called on Kenyan authorities to end the apparent harassment of Otsieno Namwaya, the organization’s associate Africa director, over his work documenting rights abuses in the country.

According to HRW, from August 23 to 25, witnesses observed groups of plainclothes officers suspected to be from the  Operation Support Unit of the National Police Service monitoring Namwaya’s home. On one occasion, the individuals were seen photographing the property before parking their vehicles near a nearby police station and speaking with uniformed officers. HRW stated that these actions appeared to amount to intimidation tied to Namwaya’s work documenting human rights abuses in Kenya. The organization confirmed it has written to Inspector General Douglas Kanja seeking clarification on whether a warrant existed for the surveillance and requesting security guarantees for Namwaya and his family.

HRW Interim Executive Director Federico Borello described the surveillance as part of a broader trend of restricting civic space in Kenya. He emphasized that rather than harassing rights defenders, authorities should work to create an enabling environment for civil society that strengthens accountability and the rule of law.

The Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) also condemned the alleged harassment, calling it “a brazen act of intimidation” and “an assault on Kenya’s Constitution.” KHRC further stated that the targeting of Namwaya was consistent with “a growing pattern of unlawful surveillance” aimed at silencing civil society voices and warned that such actions risk undermining Kenya’s constitutional framework (Eastleigh Voice; Kenyans.co.ke).

HRW has previously raised concerns about Kenyan security forces. In a 2016 report, the organization documented forced disappearances, deaths in custody, and other serious abuses during counterterrorism operations in Nairobi and the northeast. The report highlighted failures of oversight and accountability within Kenyan law enforcement institutions.

International observers have also scrutinized Kenya’s counterterrorism framework. A Just Security investigation detailed the involvement of the US and UK in supporting Kenyan operations, citing a lack of transparency and oversight over how external assistance may contribute to human rights violations.

Both HRW and KHRC have called on Kenyan authorities to end harassment of human rights defenders and ensure accountability for those responsible. They argue that such practices not only violate Kenya’s constitutional obligations but also erode public trust in democratic institutions.