MUHURI accuses state of intimidation after Mombasa activists summoned over June 25 protests
According to MUHURI, the officers accused the activists of "mobilising youth" and “radicalising” protesters, branding them a threat to state security.
Muslims for Human Rights (MUHURI) has accused security agencies of weaponising state institutions to silence dissent, following the summoning and interrogation of two activists at the DCI regional headquarters in Mombasa.
Activists Evans Momanyi and Bradley Ouma appeared at the Coast DCI offices, where they were interrogated for several hours about their role in the June 25 protests marking the first anniversary of the Gen Z demonstrations against the controversial 2024 Finance Bill.
More To Read
- NPS calls for calm ahead of Saba Saba protests, warns against police provocation
- 'No parent should bury their child': Kenyan mothers speak out against police brutality, extrajudicial killings
- Ex-CJ David Maraga slams President William Ruto after armed goons storm KHRC offices
- Monday is not a public holiday! Civil servants ordered to report to work despite Saba Saba protests
- Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o would have cheered Gen Z’s push for reform - Kamukunji MP Yusuf Hassan
- Schools on edge as Saba Saba protests loom
According to MUHURI, the officers accused them of "mobilising youth" and “radicalising” protesters, branding them a threat to state security.
Both men were ordered to return on Monday at 11 am.
Francis Auma, the organisation’s Rapid Response Officer, said the summons amounted to state-sponsored intimidation aimed at silencing civic activism.
“These men walked into the DCI office willingly. They have nothing to hide. If any law was broken, then there are legal processes to follow. But what we are seeing is the selective targeting of voices that question the system,” Auma said.
Auma, who accompanied the activists alongside other human rights defenders, said the move had sparked fear within civil society circles.
“We are now being watched everywhere. This is pure harassment. Bradley has worked in this space for over 19 years, including in Nairobi, and he has never been accused of any crime. We followed the law. Even during the June 25 protest, we guided the demonstrators peacefully.”
He condemned the authorities for what he termed as abuse of public office and said the group was ready to challenge the harassment in court.
“This country does not belong to the police or politicians. It belongs to all Kenyans. We pay taxes. Yet here we are, spending our weekend from 11 am to 4 pm at the DCI office while we should be with our families. That is unfair and unacceptable,” Auma said.
The rights group now wants the state to stop criminalising dissent and instead address the issues being raised by protestors.
There has been no public response from the DCI or the Ministry of Interior regarding the summons.
Top Stories Today
