Press Release

October 29, 2015

Calls For Immediate End to Intimidation Of Civil Society
Since 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 behest of the Presidency with intent of intimidating and silencing robust civic
sector. Its attitude towards civil society is unacceptable. We find shocking that a government that
purports to be 'democratic' started to follow this retrogressive path.
Civic space is fully protected by 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 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 into baseless allegations and propaganda against civil society groups.
The Board MUST with immediate effect stop its cruel strategy of intimidation and armtwisting aimed at stifling the voice of civil society and democratic oversight. The Board has turned
into 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 Mr. 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 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 check 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.
Signed by Ndung'u Wainaina
Executive Director,
International Center for Policy and Conflict