A civil society budget review meeting in Nairobi was disrupted by armed assailants, with KHRC alleging political intimidation.
A meeting convened by the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) and other civil society organisations to interrogate the 2026/2027 national budget was on Sunday disrupted after a group of unidentified men stormed All Saints’ Cathedral in Nairobi, forcing the forum to be temporarily halted amid panic and the theft of participants’ belongings.
The KHRC said the forum had brought together human rights defenders, governance experts and policy analysts to assess whether the newly tabled budget reflects citizen priorities, including health, education, social protection and accountability in public spending. The discussion was abruptly cut short when the intruders forced their way into the meeting area, causing commotion and scattering participants.
According to the rights organisation, some of the assailants confronted delegates while others snatched personal items, including a mobile phone, before fleeing. KHRC further stated that one suspect was apprehended shortly after the incident by security personnel stationed nearby.
In a statement, the organisation claimed that the arrested individual allegedly told investigators that he had been “sent by a government official,” a claim that has not been independently verified and which authorities have not yet addressed.
KHRC strongly condemned the incident, describing it as a deliberate attempt to intimidate civil society actors engaged in budget oversight and governance accountability.
“State-hired goons have stormed a meeting where KHRC and other CSOs were discussing the 2026–2027 budget that was presented yesterday,” the organisation said. “One of the assailants was arrested and said he was sent by a government official. Some valuables, including a phone, were stolen during the incident.”
The organisation said the disruption would not deter it from continuing with its constitutional mandate of scrutinising public finance and ensuring that budgetary allocations reflect the needs of citizens.
“We condemn this act of intimidation and assert that it will not deter us from scrutinizing the budget. We will continue to demand that it puts the interests of the people at front and centre,” KHRC added.
The incident occurred at All Saints’ Cathedral, a venue often used for civic engagement forums due to its association with public dialogue and human rights advocacy spaces.
Civil society organisations in Kenya have long played a central role in public finance oversight, particularly during the annual budget cycle, where they analyse government expenditure proposals and mobilise public participation in line with constitutional requirements. Groups such as KHRC have frequently criticised gaps in transparency, equity, and public involvement in budget formulation.
Over the years, however, civic actors have increasingly raised concerns about shrinking civic space, citing surveillance, intimidation, and sporadic disruptions of public forums. These tensions have often intensified during politically sensitive periods, including budget debates and electoral cycles.
Sunday’s incident comes just a day after the government presented the 2026/2027 national budget in Parliament, a document expected to shape fiscal priorities amid ongoing national debates over taxation, debt sustainability, and social spending.
Security agencies had not issued an official statement on the incident by the time of publication, and it remains unclear whether a formal investigation has been launched into the alleged attack or the claims made by KHRC regarding the suspect’s alleged confession.
The organisation has vowed to continue with its budget scrutiny work despite the disruption, insisting that attempts to intimidate civil society will not derail its mandate to hold public institutions accountable.
