Human Rights Violations by Security Forces During 2017 Election

A 2016 Human Rights Watch (HRW) report has uncovered serious allegations of enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and torture tied to Kenya’s counterterrorism operations in Nairobi and the northeastern counties of Garissa, Wajir, and Mandera. According to HRW, at least 34 people were forcibly disappeared, while 11 others were found dead — often in shallow graves or remote areas — following raids by state security forces. Human Rights Watch+2Human Rights Watch+2
The report, which draws on interviews with over 100 individuals, accuses security units — including the Kenya Defence Forces, the police, the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), and intelligence operatives — of carrying out night-time raids on homes, mosques, and schools without proper warrants or identification. Human Rights Watch+2Human Rights Watch+2 In many cases, officers allegedly wore masks or balaclavas, blindfolded detainees, and drove them to unknown locations. Human Rights Watch+1 The victims, HRW says, were largely ethnic Somali Kenyans — including imams, madrasa teachers, and young men — suspected of having links to Al‑Shabaab. Human Rights Watch+1
Human rights advocates, backed by HRW, argue that the Kenyan government has failed to meaningfully investigate these cases. Al Jazeera+1 Despite letters from HRW demanding answers, authorities reportedly did not respond to specific inquiries about the disappeared or dead, raising concerns of impunity. Human Rights Watch In some instances, relatives who sought inquests into the deaths never saw any formal legal processes take place, deepening suspicion that security forces may be operating outside the bounds of the law. Human Rights Watch
The implications of the report are profound. HRW is calling on the Kenyan government to fully acknowledge the scale of the abuses, establish an independent commission to investigate, and ensure those responsible are prosecuted under fair trials. Human Rights Watch+1 By doing so, Kenya could begin restoring trust with communities that feel targeted and marginalised, while also reinforcing the importance of human rights protections — even in the fight against terrorism.
If you like, I can write a more in‑depth piece (1,000+ words) on the report, including reactions from the Kenyan government and international partners — do you want me to do that?