“I freed a thousand slaves; I could have freed a thousand more if only they knew they were slaves,” is a quote attributed to abolitionist icon Harriet Tubman but still rings true for human rights defenders in the villages.
Their experience is that Kenyans are "unforgivingly ignorant" about the rights and the protection they have under the Constitution and the laws.
The Star spoke to various activists in far-flung counties mostly out of reach of national media spotlight and whose work is rarely highlighted.
The grassroots activists will convene in Nairobi on Friday for an annual celebration of their work.
During the event hosted by Defenders Coalition, the Human Rights Defender of the Year will be named and feted.
Amina Hussein, 45, from Isiolo county said she is passionate about mobilising her community to champion land and environmental rights in the face of the climate change.
While contending with police harassment and silencing efforts from authorities is a little easier because of the support network around her, she has not gotten a breakthrough in dealing with the unawareness, the indifference and illiteracy that the people have regarding their rights.
“It is sad how people in the villages do not know that the law gives them a voice and that is a potent tool in fighting injustice and rising above some problems,” the mother of five said.
For example, she said, in May this year, a conservancy had come to her village to construct an office in a community land without seeking consent and participation of residents. It had also not done the requisite due diligence, including doing social and environmental impact assessment.
She said some community members saw nothing wrong with that. But Hussein mobilised residents to seek explanation and used public protests to force the conservancy to talk to them and address the issues.
It did not take long before some in her team members were influenced to swing to the side of the conservancy after they were offered menial jobs and other benefits.
She was arrested and the court ordered that she be released on Sh2 million bond, which she could not raise. Defenders Coalition helped in raising the money to secure her freedom.
“Ignorance and poverty are the biggest affront to human rights because they dehumanise people and make them helpless and indifferent,” she said.
The experience is the same for Joseph Egalan, a social justice activist based in Turkana.
A member of Red Vests Movement, he is a regular agitator against corruption, poor workmanship on roads and any other injustice brought to his attention.
He said young men in his locality were being used by political actors to oppose him.
“Like this year, we took part in Saba Saba demonstrations and we spoke against corruption. The following day, youths i believe were organised by politicians came to fight me yet I was speaking about issues that affect all of us,” the 30-year-old father of two said.
“The ignorance and illiteracy is appalling because its making our people fall prey to being used while being exploited. We fight for their rights and they are turned to fight us,” he said.
Police intimidation is a whole different story, he said.
“The following day after the Saba Saba protests, Azimio was continuing with their protests but I did not go. Police were still looking for me and kept on patrolling where I was to ensure that I was not involved at all. The harassment is frustrating,” he said.
John Maigwa from Laikipia county has established a name since 2017 as a climate and environment activist.
He said, “If we are quiet, trees, land and rivers that are being degraded will not speak for themselves.”
Police harassment and intimidation by local authorities are among the teething issues, but not as impeding as people not knowing the importance of defending the environment, Maigwa said.
“The people here chide us as idle actors who are blocking them from exploiting natural resources,” he said.
From powerful and rich people obstructing rivers and water ways to ranchers fencing off huge tracts of lands that leave herders to the mercy of biting droughts, Maigwa has a lot to fight against.
