A stunning new report reveals a deep and devastating erosion of public trust in Kenya’s government, with nearly three-quarters of citizens believing authorities are not doing enough to stop a wave of extra-judicial killings and enforced disappearances targeting government critics.
The report, released Thursday by the respected research firm Trends and Insights for Africa (TIFA), found that 73% of Kenyans feel the government has failed to investigate and curb the alarming surge of abductions. Only 19% of those surveyed believed the state was taking sufficient action.
The findings provide statistical backbone to months of growing unrest and international concern. The poll indicates that a clear plurality of Kenyans, 35%, directly blame the police and state security agencies for being the main perpetrators of these violations. The report paints a picture of a nation where citizens hold the very institutions sworn to protect them responsible for their terror.
“The findings show that a clear plurality of Kenyans, 35 per cent, believe the police and other state security agencies are mainly responsible for extra-judicial killings and abductions,” the TIFA report stated.
This data follows a period of significant civil strife. On December 30, 2024, police deployed tear gas to disperse protesters in Nairobi who were demonstrating against a wave of unexplained abductions of individuals critical of President William Ruto’s administration. Images of the crackdown, captured by international news agencies, drew condemnation from human rights groups worldwide.
The report suggests the government’s tactics have not silenced dissent but have instead fueled widespread fear and anger, shattering its credibility on matters of security and human rights. The abductions, often carried out in broad daylight by unidentified armed men, have become a common tactic to intimidate opposition figures, journalists, and activists.
The TIFA report underscores a severe crisis of legitimacy for the Kenyan government. With a overwhelming majority of its citizens accusing it of either perpetrating or tolerating grave human rights abuses, the path to restoring public confidence appears increasingly difficult.
The Kenyan government has repeatedly denied official involvement in the abductions and killings, often attributing the violence to criminal elements or promising investigations that rarely yield public results. However, the TIFA survey makes clear that the Kenyan public is no longer convinced by these assurances.
As the international community watches, the report raises urgent questions about the state of democracy and rule of law in one of East Africa’s most influential nations, suggesting a populace living in fear of its own protectors.
