Calls for immediate end to intimidation of civil society in Kenya

After his election in April 2013, President Uhuru Kenyatta began a vicious campaign of profiling, vilifying and attacking independent civil society organizations especially human rights and governance groups. He has been trying to introduce draconian law to try to silence and gain control over the funding and programmatic activities of the civic sector in Kenya. In a democratic society, independent civil sector plays a vital role in maintaining the balance to governing power. The harassment of the civil sector could easily lead to the criminalization of NGOs and could effectively hinder their work. International Center for Policy and Conflict, ICPC, is fully convinced that the NGO Coordination Board is acting on the behest of the Presidency with intent of intimidating and silencing robust civic sector. Its attitude towards civil society is unacceptable. We find it shocking that a government that purports to be 'democratic' started to follow this retrogressive path. Civic space is fully protected by the Constitution. Civil society has strongly advocated for the full implementation of the Public Benefits Organizations Act but President Kenyatta has vehemently stood on the way. Civil society has supported and initiated through PBO Act a transparent and accountability self-regulatory mechanism. President Kenyatta’s government is growing less tolerant of informed policy debate and dissent each day. This is immensely troubling. It is creating an atmosphere of state coercion and intimidation. The government needs to prove the charges of the misappropriation of funds instead of indulging in baseless allegations and propaganda against civil society groups. The Board MUST with immediate effect stop its cruel strategy of intimidation and arm-twisting aimed at stifling the voice of civil society and democratic oversight. The Board has turned into a state agent of repression and stifling independent voices. Civil society in Kenya has created thousands of jobs, offered crucial services and ensured robustly transparent open governance. This is ground civil society is not willing to cede. It is imperative for the Kenyatta government to fully understand that irrespective of political affiliation, it should uphold the rights of citizens in a democracy to freely monitor and evaluate public institutions as well as office-holders. Civil liberties and fundamental human rights, an autonomous civil society and independent media serve as the bedrock of democratic values and a free society. President Kenyatta has the responsibility to make sure that these constitutional values are protected and freely flourish. President Kenyatta’s government should stop harassing civil society and the media simply because they criticize the state. It is imperative in a democracy that citizens have the right and the space to speak out about key issues affecting their lives and provide effective oversight of their elected leaders and state institutions. The values of human rights, transparent public institutions, and a democratic system of checks and balances, should be central to the government's agenda regardless of political affiliation. We reiterate our demand that Haki Africa and MUHURI accounts be unfrozen. The court made it clear the two organizations are not involved in any illegal activities. * Ndung'u Wainaina is Executive Director, International Center for Policy and Conflict. * THE VIEWS OF THE ABOVE ARTICLE ARE THOSE OF THE AUTHOR AND DO NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THE VIEWS OF THE PAMBAZUKA NEWS EDITORIAL TEAM * BROUGHT TO YOU BY PAMBAZUKA NEWS * Please do not take Pambazuka for granted! Become a Friend of Pambazuka and make a donation NOW to help keep Pambazuka FREE and INDEPENDENT! * Please send comments to editor[at]pambazuka[dot]org or comment online at Pambazuka News.