Hanifa Adan, Boniface Mwangi and Hussein Khalid clinch Human Rights Defender of the Year Award

Activists Hanifa Adan, Boniface Mwangi and Hussein Khalid jointly bagged the 2024 Human Rights Defender Award for their active roles in championing the rights of Kenyans.

The three have been towering figures in multiple protests this year and before, risking their lives for good, despite facing constant intimidation and threats.

Both Hanifa and Hussein dedicated their awards to all the 61 persons who lost their lives in the protests, vowing to continue with the push for better governance.

Activist Hanifa Adan poses with the Human Rights Defender of the Year Award at the 2024 Human Rights Awards held at the Danish Embassy in Nairobi on November 29, 2024. (Photo: Ahmed Shafat)

"I feel honoured to have won the Human Rights Defender, 2024. It is such an honour to be in the same space and platform as the late Benna Buluma, a phenomenal woman whose story I got to tell after she passed on," said Hanifa.

Activist Hanifa Adan: I feel honoured to have won the Human Rights Defender of the Year Award. It's such an honour, and this is my fourth award this year. I dedicate this award to each and every comrade that we lost during the Gen Z protests pic.twitter.com/2LCtUnD6tS

— The Eastleigh Voice (@Eastleighvoice) November 29, 2024

On his part, Vocal Africa CEO Hussein Khalid said he was surprised to have won but expressed gratitude for the special recognition.

"I think for me, I'm really shocked by this (award), but when I look back, I think it's because of the sleepless nights we spent doing post mortems, autopsies for the comrades who passed away," he said.

On his part, Mwangi said that the struggle for a better Kenya continues adding that the change that people died for has not been fulfilled, hence the fight is still on.

Boniface Mwangi addresses the media after winning the Human Rights Defender of the Year Award at the Danish Embassy in Nairobi on November 29, 2024. (Photo: Ahmed Shafat)

"The anger in the country is palpable, it cannot be contained by bills, bribes and abductions. What they forget is that if you don't let people protest they will go on rampage and burn this country down. When you make peaceful protests impossible, people will burn down this country," he said.

Other notable recipients

The late Benna Buluma won the Munir Mazrui Lifetime Achievement Award for her role in championing human rights more so for mothers of children who lost their lives through police brutality through her Mothers of Victims and Survivors Network.

Kisumu County's Rose Alwala won the upcoming Human Rights Defender of the Year for transformative mental health advocacy work that has seen the petition to decriminalise suicide presented before parliament.

Ross Alwala poses with the Upcoming Human Rights Defender Award at the 2024 Human Rights Awardsat the Danish Embassy in Nairobi on November 29, 2024. (Photo: Mary Wambui)

The Global Solidarity Award went to Mehdi Hassan, a prominent British-American journalist who is renowned for his fearless pursuit of justice and human rights delving into the war in Gaza, Congo, Sudan and so forth.

In their absentia, CNN's Larry Madowo and K24's Catherine Wanjeri were recognised and honoured for their courage in covering this year's protests amidst threats and intimidation.

The People's Choice award went to Jackson Kuria Kihara, the prison warden whose stand against the Finance Bill 2024 went viral, nearly costing him his job.

Kuria alias Corporal Shakur the prison warden whose posts went viral for opposing the Finance Bill 2024 won the people's choice category and revealed that his case had been terminated after he was interdicted for a while taking part in the protests.

Prison Officer Jackson Kuria Kihara, widely known as Shakur the Cop, addresses the media after winning the People's Choice Awards at the 2024 Human Rights Awards held at the Danish Embassy in Nairobi on November 29, 2024. (Photo: Ahmed Shafat)

At the time, the 26-year-old officer was working at Kamiti Maximum Prison. He has since been transferred to Meru where he lives with his wife and one child.

He said his family was most scared for his life during the protests but have since become some of his biggest supporters seeing that his own father was part of the team that accompanied him to the event held at the Danish Embassy in Nairobi.

To him, what he does as a prison officer translates to protecting human rights and therefore the two should not be in conflict whatsoever.

"What affects any ordinary Kenyan out here affects me, I keep this in mind and it ignites my zeal for this course," he said after receiving the award and certificate.

Prison Officer Jackson Kuria Kihara, widely known as Shakur the Cop: I was interdicted for a while, and it affected me from work, but I was recalled. However, I am also a victim of police brutality, and let's continue fighting for human rights. pic.twitter.com/tV2K4tkFy6

— The Eastleigh Voice (@Eastleighvoice) November 29, 2024

His father, Peter Wanjama Kihara said he was in support of the protests against the Finance Bill and more so because it was led by the young people who had filled a gap that his generation had left.

"This is my 9th child whom I love dearly because there is nothing he does without consulting me. Even when he protested, I cheered him on and reminded him that our freedom fighters also fought for the fruits we are enjoying today," Kuria's father recalled.

The annual event brought together members of various diplomatic corps, human rights organisations, the media, government officials and other multiple partners.