Over 190 civil society groups demand probe into alleged attacks, surveillance of civic actors

Civil society organisations have demanded investigations into alleged intimidation, enforced disappearances, unlawful surveillance and attacks targeting civic actors, accusing security agencies and state-sponsored individuals of carrying out a coordinated campaign against The Institute for Social Accountability (TISA), human rights defenders and accountability groups.

The over 190 groups want security agencies to account for alleged surveillance operations, illegal office raids and the use of unmarked Subaru vehicles in operations targeting civil society actors.

The move follows an incident on July 2, 2026, where the groups claim at least 13 suspected state security officers using four Subaru vehicles attempted to gain entry into the offices of TISA.

In a statement on Monday, the organisations said the individuals who attempted to access the offices acted outside legal procedures and demanded the identification and surrender of “a lawyer” working at TISA.

They noted that the incident was part of a wider pattern of intimidation targeting TISA, human rights defenders and accountability groups.

They accused the government of being behind attacks against civic actors, saying, “TISA is the latest defender of democracy to come under attack - an attack we believe has been instigated by this government.”

They also cited the disruption of a June 12 meeting at All Saints Cathedral Church involving civil society actors working on public finance management, alleging it was carried out by state-hired individuals who claimed they had been sent by powerful government officials.

The organisations further raised concerns over alleged surveillance and road harassment targeting TISA Executive Director Diana Gichengo, claiming she had been followed by tinted Subaru and Prado vehicles since early June.

They linked the alleged incidents to a wider pattern of attacks on human rights defenders, citing the case of KHRC staff member Martin Mavenjina, whom they accused authorities of unlawfully taking to Uganda, an alleged attack on a KHRC and Inuka Kenya press conference, and the denial of entry into Kenya for Brian Kagoro of the Open Society Foundation.

The groups also raised concerns over the alleged arrest and disappearance of human rights defenders during the June 25 commemoration. They said Fredrick Ojiro, Collins Otieno, Muteti Mulinge, Elisha Alam, Michael Ngugi, Christine Lubanga and Davis Luchuma were arrested and later found abandoned and tortured in Nairobi, while Abdulaziz Duba Molu, Michael Oloo Osura and Macmillan Kiarie Mugo remained missing.

“This is not law enforcement; it is organised state-enabled terror against citizens exercising their constitutional rights,” the organisations said.

They accused security agencies and their alleged proxies of carrying out unlawful arrests, enforced disappearances, assaults and intimidation, saying the use of armed, masked, plain-clothes officers and unmarked vehicles had threatened Kenya’s civic space.

“This coordinated architecture of repression must be dismantled immediately, and those responsible, whether they planned, commanded, facilitated or protected these operations, must be investigated and prosecuted,” they said.

The organisations said the alleged actions violated the Constitution of Kenya, 2010, citing articles 10, 29, 33, 36 and 244. They also referred to the High Court decision in Kanchory v Service & 3 others [2025] KEHC 13792 (KLR), which they said rejected the use of plain-clothes officers and unmarked vehicles to intimidate citizens.

They further accused police of failing to stop attacks targeting women leaders, including incidents reported at All Saints Cathedral Church, KHRC offices and other community meetings.

They called on the DCI, Inspector General of Police and IPOA to investigate the alleged July 2 raid at TISA offices, explain the use of Subaru and other unmarked vehicles, identify officers involved and hold those responsible for unlawful actions accountable.

“The investigations must identify those who planned, commanded, supervised and executed these operations and recommend criminal prosecutions where appropriate,” the organisations said.

They also demanded protection for TISA staff, civil society organisations and human rights defenders, warning that any further harm, disappearance or unlawful arrest of civic actors would make senior security officials responsible.

The groups asked the National Assembly Departmental Committee on Administration and Internal Security to summon the Inspector General of Police, the Interior Cabinet Secretary and IPOA to explain the alleged intimidation of civil society actors.

“We stand in unyielding solidarity with TISA and the civic actors, citizenry and human rights defenders whose safety and security is being undermined by the escalating deployment and impunity of state-sponsored and protected goons,” they said.

They also urged the diplomatic community and development partners to monitor and report on the situation facing Kenya’s civic space.