DCI refutes harassment claims by Human Rights Watch official Otsieno Namwaya
DCI dismissed the claims a day after Otsieno Namwaya, the Associate Director of Human Rights, spoke to The Eastleigh Voice about his alleged harassment by officers from the agency.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigation on Tuesday refuted claims that its officers are harassing a Human Rights Watch official in the country.
DCI dismissed the claims a day after Otsieno Namwaya, the Associate Director of Human Rights, spoke to The Eastleigh Voice about his alleged harassment by officers from the agency.
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"The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has taken note of allegations of harassment purportedly involving Otsieno Namwaya, the Associate Director of Human Rights Watch, by members of the DCI's Operational Support Unit (OSU)," posted the agency.
The investigative agency said it would like to clarify unequivocally that Namwaya is not a subject of any ongoing investigations by the DCI.
"It is also crucial to emphasise that the DCI has had no involvement with him or his associates, directly contradicting the false allegations that have been made," the detectives noted.
They urged Namwaya to report his harassment and intimidation to the authorities for action.
"We advise Namwaya to promptly report to the nearest police station should he observe any activities that he perceives as a threat to his safety and security, ensuring that immediate police action can be taken," DCI said.
The Human Rights Watch (HRW) has raised concerns over what it calls harassment of its top official in Kenya.
The organisation is urging President William Ruto's administration to stop the intimidation of Namwaya, who has been documenting serious rights abuses in the country.
Speaking exclusively to The Eastleigh Voice on Monday, Namwaya alleged he was facing harassment and intimidation because of his work.
"Yes, the police have been acting very strangely. They don't want to do a formal arrest. They want to come to my house at night like a militia or goons. I believe this allows them to deny being involved in anything that takes place when they come to my house," said Namwaya.
He noted that his work has often put him at odds with the authorities. "I can say that, yes, we have consistently tracked human rights abuses, including protests, and we will continue to do so going forward. That is our mandate, and we will continue to do so as long as state and non-state actors continue to be implicated," he said.
Namwaya added that human rights violations in Kenya have taken an alarming turn, with authorities seemingly more focused on targeting those who document abuses rather than the perpetrators themselves.
Between August 23 and 25, 2025, HRW claimed security officials allegedly conducted surveillance on Namwaya's home. These incidents came after weeks of attempts by individuals believed to be from the Operation Support Unit—housed within the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI)—to clandestinely access him.
"The surveillance of a Human Rights Watch staff member is a stark reminder of the ongoing threats and repression facing rights activists in Kenya today," said Federico Borello, HRW's interim executive director. "Instead of allowing police units to target activists, Kenyan authorities should be working to improve the space in which civil society operates."
Three neighbours told Namwaya that on the evening of August 23, six men, thought to be plainclothes officers, parked three vehicles at a local police station before walking around his neighbourhood.
Witnesses later said the same men returned on the morning of August 25, again parking at the station before proceeding to Namwaya's home. One of them was reportedly on his phone constantly. Another appeared to take photos of the house.
The group stayed in the area for several hours before returning to the police station, speaking briefly with officers, and later driving away.
According to HRW, this surveillance followed months of attempts by government security agents to trace Namwaya through his acquaintances.
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