A shocking report by international human rights organizations confirmed a severe pattern of unlawful force and killings by Kenyan security forces in the weeks following the annulled presidential election in August 2017. The investigation, conducted jointly by Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, documented a violent crackdown primarily targeting opposition strongholds in Nairobi and parts of Western Kenya, far exceeding necessary crowd control and raising serious concerns about political motivation.
The report established that dozens of civilians were killed or seriously injured as police and paramilitary units—including the General Service Unit (GSU)—responsed aggressively to protests that erupted after the results were announced. The most intense violence was concentrated in low-income areas such as Mathare and Kibera, where a minimum of 33 people died in Nairobi alone. According to the findings, at least 23 of these victims, including children, were shot or beaten to death by officers. The security forces often conducted punitive raids into people’s homes, using live ammunition and batons against residents whom they perceived as opposition supporters, leading many to feel they were being punished simply for their votes. Importantly, the report noted a striking contrast in areas like Kariobangi and Korogocho, where local commanders chose community policing and dialogue, resulting in no fatalities, proving that the widespread lethal force was preventable.
In the immediate aftermath, the Kenyan government, through the Cabinet Secretary for the Interior, denied all reports of police killings and excessive force. This official denial was compounded by the fact that the National Police Service was found to be obstructing investigations by the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA). This lack of cooperation highlighted a critical failure in the state’s accountability mechanisms and perpetuated a historical cycle of impunity for election-related violence. As the country prepared for a repeat election, the human rights groups urgently called for a public condemnation of the abuses, the establishment of an independent judicial inquiry, full cooperation with the IPOA, and commitment to providing compensation for the victims and their families.