Amnesty International has challenged Kenya’s international creditors, development partners and the African Union to review their respective ties over various human rights abuses.
In a report released on October 19, Amnesty urged the partners to scrutinise how their lending, economic policy advice and security cooperation affect human rights, amid allegations of state repression of youth-led protests and growing economic pressure on households.
The 81-page report is headlined Human Rights Under Siege: Authoritarian Practices and Economic Pressure Amid Youth-Led Protests in Kenya.
The international human rights organisation calls on global financial institutions to assess the human rights implications of further lending to Kenya, while urging foreign governments to review security assistance to Kenyan law enforcement agencies until allegations of abuses are properly investigated.
“… Undertake independent debt sustainability analysis including human rights impact assessments before granting any further loans. Ensure that there are no harmful austerity measures imposed with loans. When considering debt relief conditions, ensure that these do not adversely impact the realization of human rights,” Amnesty says in its recommendations.
The report, which examines protests between 2023 and 2025, links public anger to rising living costs, taxation, public debt, corruption and inequality.
It argues that instead of addressing these grievances, authorities increasingly resorted to arbitrary arrests, alleged abductions, surveillance and restrictions on civic space.
Amnesty’s recommendations extend the debate beyond the Kenyan government, placing the responsibilities of creditors and security partners under scrutiny as the country continues to seek external financing and maintain international security relationships.
The organisation wants creditors, including international financial institutions, to undertake independent debt-sustainability assessments incorporating human rights impact assessments before approving further loans. It also warns against loan conditions that impose harmful austerity measures or debt-relief arrangements that undermine people’s rights.
It recommends that Kenya’s development partners use bilateral, multilateral and regional platforms to press for respect for peaceful assembly, investigations into alleged abuses and accountability for security officers implicated in violations.
“… Urgently review cooperation with the Kenyan government, including the provision of training, law enforcement equipment and other security assistance to Kenyan law enforcement officials, until police officers responsible for the unlawful use of force are thoroughly investigated and, where appropriate, brought to justice. Ensure that robust accountability mechanisms are in place,” it adds.
DEBT PRESSURE AND PUBLIC SERVICES
The report places Kenya’s debt burden at the centre of its account of the economic grievances that fuelled protests, particularly those against the Finance Bills of 2023 and 2024.
Amnesty says public debt stood at 67.8 per cent of gross domestic product in 2025. It also says debt-servicing allocations over the 2023–2026 period exceeded combined allocations for education, health and social protection over the same period.
The organisation argues that economic policy must account for its effects on access to basic services and households’ ability to meet essential needs.
Amnesty further calls for international creditors to ensure that lending decisions consider the impact of economic adjustment measures on vulnerable groups.
It also urges them to “ensure there are no harmful austerity measures imposed with loans” and to ensure conditions attached to debt relief do not adversely affect human rights.
The recommendations come as Kenya continues to pursue external financing.
On October 16, Reuters reported that Kenya was in talks with the African Development Bank and the World Bank over potential financing, including a World Bank development policy operation. Central Bank Governor Kamau Thugge said a debt-for-food swap was among the options being considered.
The report calls on lenders to consider the human rights consequences of their decisions alongside debt sustainability.
SECURITY ASSISTANCE UNDER SCRUTINY
Amnesty has also called on Kenya’s development partners to review their cooperation with the government, including training, equipment and other security assistance provided to law enforcement agencies.
It recommends that partners “urgently review cooperation with the Kenyan government”, including security training and equipment, until officers responsible for unlawful use of force are thoroughly investigated and, where appropriate, brought to justice.
It also calls for robust accountability mechanisms.
Amnesty interviewed 36 people who had been arrested or allegedly abducted in connection with protests. All of them reported mistreatment.
Allegations of surveillance targeting protesters and activists have also been documented, as well as physical assaults, arbitrary arrests and restrictions on journalists covering demonstrations.
The recommendations come amid previous concerns raised by international human rights organisations over the policing of protests in Kenya.
In November 2024, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International Kenya published Unchecked Injustice: Kenya’s Suppression of the 2023 Anti-Government Protests, documenting police abuses during the demonstrations and calling for investigations and prosecutions.
UN human rights experts have also raised concerns over alleged abductions, enforced disappearances and violence against protesters during demonstrations against the 2024 Finance Bill and subsequent protests in 2025.
Amnesty wants development partners to use diplomatic channels to press for investigations and accountability, and to ensure security cooperation and sales of less-lethal weapons do not contribute to violations.
It also calls on the AU to urge Kenya to comply with regional guidelines on policing assemblies and consider a country visit to assess the right to peaceful protest.
SAFARICOM AND DIGITAL SURVEILLANCE
Amnesty has called on Safaricom to investigate allegations that customer data was unlawfully shared with security agencies.
The report recommends that the telecommunications company “submit to an independent investigation into allegations of unlawful customer data sharing with security agencies”.
It also wants Safaricom to conduct human rights due diligence and publish information on the process and its findings.
The recommendation follows accounts in the report of protesters and activists allegedly being monitored through their phones and digital communications. The allegations require investigation and do not, on their own, establish that the company unlawfully shared customer information.
