Kenya Archives - Now In Africa

Kenya’s ‘goons’: Rights groups warn of deepening political repression ahead of 2027 vote

With one year to go before Kenya’s 2027 presidential election, human rights organizations are raising alarms over what they describe as the systematic deployment of political henchmen, widely referred to as “goons,” to infiltrate rallies, disrupt opposition gatherings and intimidate political rivals. Activists say the practice, while long-standing in Kenyan politics, has intensified markedly since […]

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Kenyan court rules against Rastafarian religious use of cannabis in landmark case

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Kenya’s Rastafarian community has lost a long-awaited legal bid to secure the right to use cannabis as part of their religious practice, in what campaigners had hoped would be a landmark ruling on religious freedom in the East African nation. The case, which had been working its way through the courts for several years, sought

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Kenyan Court Rejects Rastafarian Plea to Legalise Cannabis for Religious Use

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A Kenyan court has dismissed a petition filed by members of the Rastafarian community seeking legal recognition of cannabis use for religious and spiritual purposes. While rejecting the application, the judges acknowledged that the underlying questions raised by the case point to a wider national conversation that has yet to take place. Background of the

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Kenyan Rights Groups Raise Alarm Over Use of Hired Gangs to Suppress Dissent

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Civil society organizations in Kenya have raised concerns about what they describe as a growing reliance on hired gangs by political actors to intimidate opponents, disrupt public demonstrations, and silence dissenting voices. Rights advocates say the trend poses a serious threat to the country’s democratic credentials and civic freedoms ahead of a politically sensitive period.

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In Kenya, men with female surnames push back against social stigma

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Across Kenya, a small but growing number of men are choosing to carry surnames that once belonged exclusively to women — those of their wives, mothers, or female relatives — and finding themselves at the centre of an unexpected cultural dispute. Their decisions are upending a deeply rooted naming tradition in which children, and later

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Enrollment Crisis Threatens Closure of Thousands of Rural Primary Schools in Kenya

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More than 2,000 primary schools across rural Kenya are facing the prospect of closure as enrollment figures continue to decline, leaving education officials grappling with the future of basic schooling in some of the country’s most sparsely populated areas. In certain communities, the number of pupils now falls below the number of livestock kept by

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Kenya: DPP Closes Case Against Six Iranians in Sh8.2 Billion Methamphetamine Trial

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The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has concluded presenting evidence against six Iranian nationals accused of trafficking more than one tonne of methamphetamine valued at Sh8.2 billion, bringing the landmark narcotics case to a pivotal stage. With the prosecution formally closing its case, a Kenyan court is now expected to consider whether

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Kenya’s Education Language Dilemma: English Dominance vs. Mother Tongue Learning

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Kenya’s long-running debate over which language should dominate its classrooms has resurfaced, with students describing the persistent tension between studying in their mother tongue and the overwhelming pull of English in education and the workplace. Despite policy efforts to promote indigenous languages in early schooling, learners and educators say English continues to hold sway from

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Rights Groups Sue Kenyan Police Over Nairobi Lockdown During Gen Z Protest Anniversary

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Kenya’s police force is facing a legal challenge over its decision to shut down central Nairobi during demonstrations marking the second anniversary of the Gen Z uprising. Rights advocates have filed a lawsuit arguing that the lockdown unlawfully restricted the movement and assembly rights of residents and demonstrators. Background of the Gen Z Movement The

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Kenya marks second anniversary of deadly 2024 protests with memorial marches

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Kenyans gathered on Thursday to mark the second anniversary of the deadly June 2024 protests, returning to the streets in a renewed expression of grief, anger and political frustration that continues to challenge President William Ruto’s government. Annual marches were held across the country to commemorate those killed during the original wave of demonstrations, while

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Nairobi Under Tight Security as Kenya Marks Second Anniversary of 2024 Anti-Finance Bill Protests

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Nairobi awoke to a heavily fortified and largely deserted cityscape on Thursday as Kenyan police sealed off major routes leading into the Central Business District, citing intelligence about planned demonstrations marking the second anniversary of the 2024 anti-Finance Bill protests. The heavy security presence, which included roadblocks on key arteries into the city centre, transformed

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Kenya passes controversial bill two years after deadly Gen Z protests

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Kenya’s parliament has passed a controversial bill, two years after youth-led protests against a previous piece of legislation descended into deadly violence that left dozens dead and forced a dramatic U-turn by the government. The vote in the National Assembly marks a politically sensitive moment for President William Ruto’s administration, which has struggled to rebuild

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