Armed men burst into the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) office on Sunday just as mothers were preparing to hold a press briefing. The intruders stole two journalists’ laptops, disrupted the event and left attendees shaken.
The incident took place at KHRC headquarters on Gitanga Road at about 2:00 pm, according to the organization. It called the assailants “goons” and said they may have been hired to intimidate human‑rights defenders ahead of Saba Saba Day rallies on 7 July.
The mothers were preparing to speak about Kenyans killed or missing during recent demonstrations. Their message: they demand justice for victims of extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests and enforced disappearances .
KHRC described the raid as part of a pattern that uses hired attackers to suppress dissent. It pledged to “not be silenced” and urged police accountability.
So far, no arrests have been reported as police say they are investigating. In a separate case last month, rights groups warned that armed groups are working alongside, or under the watch of, security services during protests allegations that police have denied, saying their officers cannot always tell who is responsible.
Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen recently called on the police to tackle armed goons targeting protestors and traders. He promised action against anyone caught inciting violence.
The crackdown comes at a tense moment. Saba Saba marks the 1990 march that helped bring multiparty democracy. This year, it has become a focal point for demands over justice, governance, and police reform .
Voices from the Ground
Boniface Mwangi, an activist, described the raid as a tactic clearly meant to intimidate human‑rights defenders, adding that it echoed a worrying pattern witnessed before June’s protests.
A police spokesman told The Standard they were investigating the break‑in and would hold perpetrators to account.
What Happens Next
The mothers plan to reconvene and deliver their briefing today. KHRC is calling again for protection of civic space.
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