Once a darling of the West, President William Ruto is increasingly falling out with the international community in the face of rights abuses, repression, abductions and extrajudicial killings.
Since the 2024 Gen Z protests, international actors largely from the West have condemned the Ruto administration over rights abuses and police brutality.
The latest was a joint statement by 12 Western diplomatic missions, who called on the government to facilitate peaceful demos on June 25.
The envoys are from Australia, Canada, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, the UK, the US, Ireland, Switzerland and Finland.
They called on relevant agencies to ensure peaceful protests and refrain from violence.
They reaffirmed every Kenyan’s right to peaceful assembly and to express themselves, adding that protecting the right to protest is vital to preserving civic space and a cornerstone to Kenya’s democracy.
The Constitution, under Article 37, guarantees Kenyans the right to assemble, demonstrate, picket and present petitions to public authorities peacefully and unarmed.
However, police have been accused of using excessive force on demonstrators, in some instance killing.
During last years’ demos, at least 60 protesters were killed and hundreds of others injured, with some left disabled from police bullets.
No police officer has been held to account over the killings. Instead, the administration has defended the National Police Service, commending them for a job well done.
The missions in the statement renewed calls for “swift, transparent and independent investigations” into all incidents of peaceful protesters.
“Transparency and accountability are critical, not only for justice but for restoring confidence in the institutions meant to serve and protect their citizens,” they added.
It was yet another of a series of statements they have issued, putting the Ruto administration in the spotlight.
Following vendor Boniface Kariuki’s shooting on June 17, some Western missions issued a statement condemning police violence and called for accountability.
The UN resident coordinator Stephen Jackson called for independent investigations, full accountability and a consistent upholding of the rule of law.
The European Union has also expressed its concern over the developments in the country.
On June 20, EU envoys led by head of delegation Amb Henriette Geiger, met representatives from the civil society to discuss governance, civic space and human rights in the country.
“The meeting emphasised the importance of respecting constitutional rights, particularly freedom of expression and peaceful assembly,” EU said in a statement.
“The EU reaffirmed its commitment to accountability, transparency and universal human rights.”
The EU said the meeting was part of an ongoing engagement with the government, civil society and other stakeholders to address their concerns.
From Washington, US Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman Jim Risch on June1 condemned abuse of human rights in East Africa, saying it exposes state decay and impunity.
Risch, who has intensified his engagements in the region, and Kenya in particular, said the abuses are a threat to regional security and US interests.
In January, the UK also called for a probe into abductions in Kenya, saying the move would demonstrate the country’s commitment to fundamental human rights.
“Swift and transparent investigations into reported abductions will demonstrate Kenya’s commitment to fundamental rights as it takes up its seat on the UN Human Rights Council,” High Commissioner Neil Wigan said.
He was adding his voice to what the US had said at the time.
In December, US Embassy charge d'affaires Marc Dillard called on Kenya to put an immediate stop to the abductions of individuals in the country.
The government has claimed interference in its domestic affairs by the missions.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday acknowledged the missions’ concerns raised over policing methods and assured them that action would be taken on any violations.
However, the ministry cautioned against “expressions that are overly prescriptive and insensitive of the complex national and global environment”.“The ministry reminds all that diplomatic partnerships flourish best in mutual respect, open channels and a recognition of each other's unique governance contexts and challenges in line with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations,” it said.
National Assembly Defence and Foreign Affairs chairman Nelson Koech (Belgut) said they are concerned by the trend of external actors commenting on Kenya's internal governance with tones that risk eroding the principle of sovereign equality that underpins diplomatic relations.
He told the missions that in their reference to “hired goons and covert operations”, the joint statement treaded dangerously close to adopting the language of activists and partisan actors.
“Kenya welcomes dialogue, not echo chambers. Kenya is not a subject of external surveillance,” Koech said.
The trend is likely to continue as the country heads towards the 2027 polls.
Historically, Western envoys are vocal on the conduct of elections, often creating friction with the administration of the day.
Already, the EU has sounded a warning over the failure to effect key electoral reforms to ensure free and fair polls in 2027.
The EU Election Follow-up Mission Kenya 2025 Final Report, released on June 12, said a lack of political will was hindering the reforms.
The report said there is limited progress in the implementation of recommendations by the 2022 EU Election Observation Mission.
“Out of 21 recommendations offered by the 2022 EU EOM, one recommendation on the removal of restrictions requiring an educational degree to stand has been partially implemented,” the report said.
Prof Peter Kagwanja said there is a fallout between the administration and some of the western states, as has been with some African countries, such as Sudan.
“Our foreign policy is a mess and has sunk to the lowest even in Pan-Africanism; you can see the Sudan case,” he told the Star.
“That’s why we are seeing diplomats making public statements that could be interpreted as interfering with domestic politics.”
That they are resorting to public diplomacy, Kagwanja said, is an indicator of that fallout.
Ideally, he said, the envoys would communicate to MFA through Note Verbales (diplomatic letters) to express their views or seek audience with the government.
The Africa Policy Institute president said such statements are likely to continue in the unfolding political environment.
He said unlike when ODM leader Raila Odinga would call for demos, the current “mayhem is so decentralised and leaderless”, there is no one the envoys can engage for briefing.
“The role of diplomats has become quite complicated,” he said.
The situation is reminiscent of the days of US Ambassadors Smith Hempstone (1989-93), Michael Ranneberger (2006-11) and UK High Commissioner Sir Edward Clay (2001-05), who ruffled feathers with the administrations of presidents Daniel Moi and Mwai Kibaki.
