The Observatory has been informed about the harassment, surveillance and intimidation of Ms Diana Gichengo, a Kenyan lawyer and human rights defender and executive Director of the Institute for Social Accountability (TISA). Through her work with TISA, Ms Gichengo promotes transparency, accountability and civic participation in public finance management and has consistently advocated for the protection of civic space and democratic governance. Ms Gichengo also worked with the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) and Amnesty International Kenya, where she contributed to the promotion and protection of human rights.
On 2 July 2026, at least 13 men suspected of being state security officers arrived at TISA’s offices in Nairobi in four Subaru vehicles and attempted to gain access to the premises. Operating outside any legal procedure, the men demanded that TISA staff surrender "the lawyer" working at the organisation. The men did not present a judicial warrant or identify the legal basis for their actions. Following the incident, senior management convened an urgent security meeting and resolved to take immediate measures to enhance both the physical and digital security of TISA and its staff. Additional steps were taken to evacuate a member of the Senior Management Team from the offices who was assessed to be at high risk, among other security measures.
Since early June 2026, Ms Diana Gichengo has also been subjected to repeated surveillance and intimidation. She has been continuously followed by occupants of tinted Subaru and Toyota Prado vehicles while traveling on routes she regularly uses to and from work. The surveillance began shortly after Ms Gichengo became aware that individuals close to a senior government official had been making inquiries about her in connection with TISA’s work on public finance management and accountability.
The Observatory notes that these incidents are not isolated and occur amid an increasing pattern of intimidation targeting human rights defenders and civil society organisations in Kenya. On 22 February 2026, Zimbabwean human rights defender and Africa Director of the Open Society Foundations (OSF) Mr Brian Kagoro was denied entry into Kenya, detained for several hours at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, in Nairobi, and deported without being formally charged and without any explanation. Earlier, on 5 July 2025, Mr Martin Mavenjina, Senior Legal Advisor at the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC), was deported from Kenya and has since been prevented from returning to the country. More recently, following the demonstrations commemorating 25 June 2026, seven human rights defenders, Fredrick Ojiro, Collins Otieno, Muteti Mulinge, Elisha Alam, Michael Ngugi, Christine Lubanga and Davis Luchuma, were arbitrarily arrested, forcibly disappeared and later found in different parts of Nairobi bearing signs of torture. In addition, Abdulaziz Duba Molu, Michael Oloo Osura and Macmillan Kiarie Mugo remain forcibly disappeared after being unlawfully arrested prior to the 25 June commemoration.
The Observatory recalls that, as a State Party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR), Kenya must respect and ensure the rights to privacy, freedom of expression, freedom of peaceful assembly and freedom of association.
The Observatory expresses its utmost concerns over the surveillance, intimidation and harassment of Ms Diana Gichengo, which appear to be linked to her legitimate work promoting transparency, accountability and democratic governance in Kenya. These documented incidents intend to intimidate Ms Gichengo and create a chilling effect on the work of TISA and other civil society organisations working on governance and accountability issues.
The Observatory condemns the harassment, surveillance and intimidation of Ms Diana Gichengo, which appear to be solely aimed at hindering her legitimate human rights activities. The Observatory urges the Kenyan authorities to immediately put an end to all acts of intimidation against her and TISA and to ensure that human rights defenders in Kenya are able to carry out their legitimate activities without fear of harassment, intimidation or reprisals.
How You Can Help
Please write to the authorities of Kenya asking them to:
– Guarantee in all circumstances the physical integrity and psychological well-being of Ms Diana Gichengo, the staff of TISA, and all human rights defenders in Kenya;
– Immediately put an end to all acts of surveillance, intimidation and harassment against Ms Diana Gichengo and ensure that no further acts of intimidation are carried out against her or TISA;
– Ensure that human rights defenders and civil society organisations in Kenya are able to carry out their legitimate activities freely and safely, without fear of surveillance, intimidation, reprisals or any other form of harassment;
– Comply in all circumstances with Kenya’s obligations under international human rights law, in particular the ICCPR and the ACHPR.
Addresses
• H.E. Mr William Samoei Ruto, President of Kenya ; E-mail: feedback@president.go.ke, X: @WilliamsRuto
• Mr. Onesimus Kipchumba Murkomen, Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration of Kenya ; E-mail: cs.interior@kenya.go.ke, X: @kipmurkomen
• Dr. Belio Kipsang, Principal Secretary for the State Department for Immigration and Citizen Services of Kenya, Email: ps@interior.go.ke
• Hon Musalia Mudavadi, Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs of Kenya ; E-mail: info@mfa.go.ke, X: @MusaliaMudavadi
• H.E. Ms. Fancy Chepkemoi Too , Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Kenya to the United Nations in Geneva; E-mail: mission.kenya@ties.itu.int / geneva@kenyamission.ch / geneva@mfa.go.ke, X: @KenyaMissionUNG
• H.E. Mr Bitange Ndemo, Ambassador of Kenya to the Kingdom of Belgium and the European Union ; E-mail: info@kenyabrussels.com, X: @KEinBelgium
Please also write to the diplomatic missions or embassies of Kenya in your respective countries.
