The Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) has strongly criticized Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja over the alleged harassment and intimidation of prominent activist Otsieno Namwaya.
In a statement issued on Saturday morning, the lobby group accused police officers of raiding Namwaya’s residence between August 23 and 25. According to KHRC, officers reportedly attached to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Operation Support Unit conducted surveillance around his home after weeks of unsuccessful attempts to clandestinely gain access to him.
The organization described the actions as part of a sustained campaign of intimidation against Namwaya, who serves as the Associate Africa Director at Human Rights Watch (HRW). Reports indicate that officers have been tracking him through his close associates for several months.
“KHRC condemns in the strongest terms the surveillance and harassment of Otsieno Namwaya by officers of the Kenya Police Service,” the statement read. “This brazen act of intimidation against a human rights defender is an assault on Kenya’s Constitution and a deliberate attempt to silence critical voices exposing state abuses.”
The commission called on Inspector General Kanja to immediately halt all forms of harassment, surveillance, and intimidation against Namwaya. It further urged President William Ruto’s administration to guarantee the safety of all human rights defenders across the country, stressing that targeting activists would only worsen Kenya’s crisis of impunity.
“Persecuting those who defend rights only deepens Kenya’s governance challenges and will not deter the struggle for justice and accountability,” KHRC added.
Namwaya has been with Human Rights Watch for more than 13 years, during which he has extensively documented incidents of police brutality, extrajudicial killings, and other state-linked abuses. His work has often placed him at odds with security agencies, particularly over allegations of excessive force and violations committed by law enforcement officers.
The latest developments have sparked concern among civil society groups, who view the incident as part of a broader pattern of shrinking civic space in Kenya. Rights defenders warn that without decisive action from the government, such intimidation tactics could erode democratic freedoms and silence critical oversight of state power.
