The recent deportation of Kenyan political leaders by Tanzanian authorities jolted me into confronting a troubling reality: a wave of state-sponsored repression is steadily sweeping across East Africa, marked by the systematic arrest and detention of opposition figures.
As I reflected on this growing regional trend, I couldn’t help but revisit Kenya’s painful history; a history scarred by the brutal suppression of those who dared to demand justice, dignity, and self-rule. In 1952, the arrest of the Kapenguria Six; Jomo Kenyatta, Bildad Kaggia, Paul Ngei, Fred Kubai, Kung’u Karumba, and Achieng’ Oneko was a strategic colonial move to cripple Kenya’s independence movement. Earlier, Harry Thuku’s 1922 detention sparked deadly protests in Nairobi, while resistance icons like Me Katilili wa Menza and Dedan Kimathi were either exiled or executed for opposing colonial rule.
These were visionaries, not criminals and history vindicated them. Sadly, the authoritarian tactics of the colonial regime did not end with independence. President Jomo Kenyatta, once detained himself, later turned state power against his critics. In 1969, his former deputy, Oginga Odinga was placed under house arrest after the Kisumu massacre, and his party, KPU, was banned. Even fellow freedom fighters like Bildad Kaggia were politically sidelined. In 1975, MPs Martin Shikuku and Jean-Marie Seroney were detained without trial for condemning KANU. These repressive tactics set a precedent that continues to influence Kenya’s political culture.
During President Moi’s 24-year rule, authoritarianism deepened under the guise of national security. Using laws like the Public Security Act, his regime detained political opponents, activists, and journalists without trial—often subjecting them to torture and solitary confinement. Figures like Matiba, Rubia, Odinga, Orengo, Raila, and Anyona were arrested for advocating democracy. Nyayo House became a symbol of state brutality, and intelligence agencies were weaponized to crush dissent. Political loyalty was enforced through fear, silencing even the faintest opposition.
President Mwai Kibaki marked a break from Kenya’s era of authoritarian rule, offering a breath of fresh air after Moi’s 24-year reign. He rejected political repression, choosing dialogue over detention even during tense moments like the 2005 constitutional fallout with Raila Odinga and the 2007–2008 post-election violence. His presidency emphasized economic revival, institutional reform, and democratic maturity.
President Uhuru Kenyatta built on this tradition, showing restraint despite leading a polarized nation. After the disputed 2017 elections, he chose dialogue over confrontation, even when Raila Odinga symbolically swore himself in as “People’s President.” This led to the historic Handshake. Though his fallout with Deputy President William Ruto grew hostile, Uhuru resisted using state power for political persecution. His commitment to political tolerance and non-repression helped safeguard civic space and deepen Kenya’s democratic culture, continuing the post-Moi legacy of leadership through reform rather than repression.
Although Kenya made significant democratic strides during the Kibaki and Uhuru administrations where opposition leaders were largely allowed the space to organize, critique, and participate in politics without fear of detention. The recent threats to arrest Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua mark a disturbing reversal.
This trend signals a potential return to the repressive playbook of the Moi era, where political disagreement was met with intimidation and incarceration. Coupled with our painful history under the colonial regime, the Kenyatta era’s suppression of dissent, and the brutality of the Moi years, the growing pattern of intolerance—mirrored by the dictatorial wave sweeping through parts of East Africa should alarm every Kenyan. At a time when the gains of the 2010 Constitution have empowered institutions, protected civil liberties, and expanded political freedoms, the state must resist the temptation to roll back these hard-won democratic victories. The moment we normalize the harassment or imprisonment of political opponents; we abandon the very foundation of our republic.
Today, the dark cloud of political repression is once again hovering over East Africa, as governments across the region resort to detaining opposition leaders in a bid to silence dissent. In Tanzania, Tundu Lissu; CHADEMA party chairman and former presidential candidate was arrested on April 9, 2025, and charged with treason for calling for electoral reforms. Disqualified from participating in the upcoming elections, he now languishes in custody, accused of inciting rebellion.
In Uganda, veteran opposition leader Kizza Besigye was abducted in Kenya in November 2024 and later arraigned before a Ugandan military court. He faces charges of treachery and illegal firearm possession and his prolonged detention. In Rwanda, Sylvain Sibomana remains imprisoned on charges of attempting to overthrow the government, while nine other opposition members and a journalist have been held in pre-trial detention for over three years. Meanwhile, in South Sudan, Dr Riek Machar, First Vice President and SPLM-IO leader, is under house arrest in Juba. These are not isolated incidents but symptoms of a regional pandemic of shrinking democratic space and rising authoritarianism.
Kenyans from all sides of the political divide; whether in government or opposition must rise above partisanship and unite in defence of the opposition as an institution. It is not merely a political function; it is the cornerstone of every vibrant democracy. Kenyans must learn from James Orengo, one of the few leaders who have witnessed and shaped the evolution of Kenya’s democracy. In our actions and inaction, James Orengo’s statements should echo in Kenya’s political conscience and serve as guiding truths in moments like this: “Governments come and go, but Kenya will remain” reminds us of the nation’s permanence over transient power. “Sometimes governments eat their own children” warns us of regimes that betray even their closest allies to survive. “The law is very clear” affirms the strength of the Constitution against abuse. “There is no power that is permanent. Even the mightiest fall” cautions those intoxicated by power. “You cannot rig the will of the people forever” asserts the inevitability of democratic justice. “Kenya is bigger than any one of us” and “The Constitution is the covenant that binds us all” call for unity and fidelity to the rule of law.
These are not just quotes; they are constitutional convictions and powerful reminders. If ever there was a time to uphold them, it is now.
