By Issa Hussein - Reporter
Kenya, July 13 , 2026 - A coalition of 194 civil society organisations has accused the government of orchestrating a sustained campaign of intimidation, harassment and unlawful actions against human rights defenders and accountability groups, warning that Kenya's democratic space is under increasing threat.
In a joint statement issued on Monday, the organisations condemned what they described as an escalating pattern of surveillance, arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances and harassment targeting The Institute for Social Accountability (TISA), its Executive Director Diana Gichengo and other members of the Okoa Uchumi campaign.
The organisations claimed recent events point to a growing crackdown on civic actors advocating for transparency and public finance accountability.
"We are witnessing a chilling regression towards dark-era police-state tactics specifically targeting defenders of public finance integrity and civic space," the statement read.
The coalition linked the alleged intimidation to several recent incidents, including the disruption of a civil society meeting at All Saints Cathedral in Nairobi on June 12, where unidentified individuals invaded a public forum attended by governance and accountability advocates.
According to the statement, TISA was among the conveners of the meeting, which the organisations said was attacked by individuals they described as "state-hired goons."
The groups further alleged that Gichengo has been subjected to weeks of surveillance by occupants of Subaru and Prado vehicles, while on July 2, at least 13 suspected security officers allegedly attempted to gain entry into TISA's offices without following legal procedures.
They also cited previous incidents involving the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC), including the disruption of a press conference held last year and the deportation of KHRC staff member Martin Mavenjina to Uganda. The statement also referenced the denial of entry into Kenya for Open Society Foundations official Brian Kagoro despite his long-term residence in the country.
The coalition further claimed that during the June 25 anniversary demonstrations, seven human rights defenders were arbitrarily arrested and later found abandoned in different parts of Nairobi, while three others remain missing after allegedly being forcibly disappeared before the commemorations.
The organisations argued that the alleged actions violate constitutional protections guaranteeing human dignity, freedom and the rule of law.
They also cited a recent High Court judgment that criticised the use of masked, plain-clothes officers operating in unmarked vehicles, arguing that such practices undermine accountability within law enforcement.
The coalition called on the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and the Inspector General of Police to immediately halt what it termed illegal surveillance and harassment of TISA officials.
It also urged the National Police Service to account for the unmarked Subaru vehicles allegedly used during the July 2 operation and investigate any officers involved in unlawful conduct.
The organisations further asked the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) to launch investigations into the alleged office raid, reported enforced disappearances, arbitrary arrests, torture claims and attacks on civil society organisations.
In addition, they called on Parliament's Departmental Committee on Administration and Internal Security to summon the Inspector General of Police, the Interior Cabinet Secretary and IPOA officials to explain the alleged operations involving unmarked vehicles and measures taken to safeguard civic actors.
The coalition warned that should any harm, unlawful detention or enforced disappearance befall TISA staff or other civil society members, senior police leadership should be held personally accountable.
The statement was signed by 194 civil society organisations and human rights groups, including Amnesty International Kenya, Article 19, the Africa Centre for Open Governance (AfriCOG), ActionAid International Kenya and several grassroots organisations from across the country.
The government and the National Police Service had not publicly responded to the allegations by the time of publication.
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