Amnesty International has urged the National Police Service to provide security to protesters during tomorrow’s planned anti-fuel price demonstration.
According to Amnesty, the National Police Service (NPS) is reminded that the Constitution of Kenya guarantees every person the right to assemble, demonstrate, picket, and present petitions peacefully and unarmed under Article 37.
“The police bear a primary responsibility for collectively facilitating and protecting this right, not for suppressing it. The purpose of protest notifications is to coordinate public safety, not to request permission,” Amnesty stated.
“Considering past protests, during which Amnesty International Kenya documented excessive use of force, arbitrary arrests, harassment of journalists, and obstruction of medical personnel, we remind the NPS that individual officers and their commanders may be held personally and criminally liable for violations of human rights, the Constitution, and Kenyan law”, it added.
The organisation also said that the recent court decisions and the 34 guidelines contained in the July 2025 Interior Ministry policy directive on the use of police force and firearms have reaffirmed these obligations and standards.
Amnesty further said that the NPS must facilitate peaceful assemblies and ensure the safety of all participants and bystanders and that peaceful protesters must not be dispersed, arrested, or intimidated simply for exercising their constitutional rights.
The human rights agency said all police commanders must exercise lawful command responsibility, adding that senior officers will be held accountable for unlawful acts committed by officers under their supervision, including excessive use of force and failure to prevent abuse.
According to the Amnesty, the journalists and media workers must be protected and allowed to operate freely while strongly urging the State to refrain from any shutdown, disruption, or interference with media houses, journalists, internet access, or live broadcasting of the demonstrations.
Any deaths or serious injuries must be immediately reported to the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA).
