Overview of Human Rights in Kenya

In 2002, in what was perceived to be a free and fair election, the Republic of Kenya elected Mwai Kibaki as president. In the years since his election, President Kibaki and his government have worked to respect the civil and human rights of the populace, and to address areas where deficiencies are reported. However, serious problems still remain. The police have tortured, raped, and beat detainees. Harassment, arbitrary arrest and detention were also reported by individual journalists, politicians, and political activists. Security forces have also been reported to commit extrajudicial killings. The government does arrest some who commit these abuses, but most were never convicted or otherwise punished. The judiciary is subject to the influence of the executive branch. Lengthy pretrial detention and lack of due process are also problems. The government infringes on the privacy of its citizens. It also limits freedoms of speech, press and assembly. It also exacerbates inter-ethnic tensions by discriminating against many groups. This has resulted in numerous episodes of ethnic violence and some deaths. Vigilante justice also continues to result in many injuries and deaths in the region.  In recent times, proposed media legislation could affect journalistic norms, and has been the source of major controversy.  

Human Development Index (HDI) Rank:

152nd out of 177

Note: Human Development Index (HDI) is a composite index that measures the level of well-being of nations in the world. It uses factors such as poverty, literacy, life-expectancy, education, gross domestic product, and purchasing power parity to assess the average achievements in each nation. It has been used in the United Nation’s Human Development Report since 1993.