NAIROBI – The Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) has strongly condemned the deportation of Zimbabwean lawyer and regional democracy advocate Brian Kagoro, describing the move as an “illegal and unjustified rendition” and warning of what it calls a growing crackdown on human rights defenders in East Africa.
In a press statement issued on 26 February 2026, KHRC said:
“On February 23, 2026, Mr. William Ruto’s regime carried out an illegal and unjustified rendition of Brian Kagoro, the Africa Director of the Open Society Foundations (OSF), barring him from entering Kenya, and taking him to South Africa.”
According to the Commission, immigration officials intercepted Kagoro upon arrival at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on 22 February before officers from the National Intelligence Service detained him for what KHRC described as a 14-hour interrogation.
KHRC further alleged:
“Later, Kagoro was verbally declared persona non grata and removed from Kenya’s territory without due process, after authorities falsely and maliciously accused him of funding the Gen Z-led protests in Kenya, allegations that remain unsupported and politically motivated.”
Government Allegations
Kenyan security sources, however, maintain the deportation followed months of intelligence gathering. Officials claim Kagoro was linked to closed-door meetings in Nairobi in 2025 and allegedly pledged to mobilise about US$1.2 million to support activist networks tied to the youth-led protests that rocked Kenya in 2024.
A senior security source was quoted as saying intelligence revealed “a calculated attempt to engineer civil disorder,” although no detailed public evidence has been released.
The protests, widely referred to as the “Gen Z protests,” forced the government to withdraw proposed tax increases. Protest organisers consistently maintained the demonstrations were grassroots-driven and not externally funded.
KHRC: ‘Direct Assault on Rights Defenders’
KHRC dismissed the government’s claims and framed the deportation as part of a wider regional pattern. Read the statement seen by ZiGoats.com:
“The Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) condemns this action as an act of aggression and a direct assault on the work of human rights defenders across the region. ”
The Commission linked the incident to what it called “a deepening trend of transnational repression,” noting that CIVICUS Monitor classified Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda as “repressed” in its recent assessments.
KHRC also cited constitutional violations, stating:
“This arbitrary action constitutes a gross violation of Kagoro’s constitutional rights, including the right to human dignity, freedom and security of the person, freedom of expression, protection from detention, and the right to fair administrative action.”
It referenced Article 47 of Kenya’s Constitution, which guarantees lawful and procedurally fair administrative action.
Kagoro’s Response
Kagoro reportedly rejected the accusations during questioning, stating his visit was for personal and professional reasons, including attending a family engagement and participating in conferences on critical minerals and artificial intelligence. He denied coordinating protests or financing political activity.
Broader Political Context
KHRC connected the deportation to a previous case involving its own official, Martin Mavenjina, who it says was “illegally and extraordinarily renditioned to Uganda” in July 2025 and has yet to return.
As Kenya approaches the 2027 general elections, KHRC argued that authorities appear to be deflecting political accountability for domestic unrest by attributing protests to foreign influence. KHRC said:
“This narrative ignores the domestic grievances that drove thousands of young Kenyans into the streets; anger fueled by punitive political and economic policies and the steady erosion of democratic accountability.”
The Commission demanded the immediate reversal of the decision against Kagoro, a written explanation from immigration authorities, a public apology, and guarantees of non-repetition.
“KHRC demands that the Ruto regime uphold human rights and the rule of law in all its actions.”
The deportation has intensified debate over the balance between state sovereignty and civic freedoms in Africa’s evolving political landscape, with rights groups warning of shrinking civic space while governments cite national security concerns.
Leave a Reply