A broad coalition of Kenyan civil society organisations, trade unions, faith institutions and youth groups issued a formal declaration on Wednesday demanding democratic accountability, electoral integrity and economic justice, in a sharply worded challenge to President William Ruto’s government less than two years before the country’s next general election.
The declaration, adopted at an intersectoral leadership retreat in Lukenya, on the outskirts of Nairobi, was signed by more than 20 organisations and accused the state of systematically eroding civic freedoms through institutional capture, executive overreach and a shrinking space for dissent.
“Maisha ni mbaya” — life is hard — the declaration opened, invoking the Swahili phrase to frame the daily hardships facing millions of Kenyans, citing broken government promises and unmet economic expectations.
The statement cited mass youth-led protests in June 2024 against proposed tax increases and rising public spending as a watershed moment that had exposed a fundamental breakdown of trust between citizens and elected leaders. “That verdict demands a response — not episodic protest, but sustained, organised democratic renewal,” it said.
Among the coalition’s most urgent concerns were reported abductions, illegal deportations and surveillance of civic leaders and ordinary citizens, as well as what the signatories described as interference with places of worship and the spread of artificial intelligence-generated disinformation targeting public discourse.
The declaration directed specific demands at each branch of government. Parliament was urged to defend its constitutional independence, reject legislation enacted without genuine public participation and pass campaign finance reform before the 2027 election cycle. The groups invoked Article 94 of Kenya’s Constitution, which vests legislative authority in Parliament on behalf of the people.
President Ruto and his administration were called upon to end interference in independent institutions and to cease any support — described as “direct or tacit” — for groups fomenting regional instability. The signatories demanded public resources be redirected toward health care, education and youth employment.
The statement took particular aim at an increase in the State House budget, which the groups said raised “serious concerns about priorities and accountability” at a time when hospitals and schools remained severely under-resourced.
Security agencies were instructed to immediately end abductions, illegal deportations and the surveillance and intimidation of civilians, and were reminded that their constitutional mandate was to protect citizens’ rights, not suppress them.
Electoral commission told to rebuild public trust
The coalition called on the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission to begin rebuilding public confidence through transparent processes and robust voter registration ahead of the 2027 polls, warning that a credible election was “the minimum standard, not an achievement to celebrate.”
On economic rights, the declaration invoked Articles 43 and 55 of Kenya’s Constitution — which guarantee rights to health, education and youth opportunity — describing those guarantees as legally enforceable and asserting they were being systematically denied.
The groups also addressed political conduct, calling behaviour that degraded the dignity of the presidency “appalling” and invoking Chapter Six of the Constitution, which sets integrity standards for all public officers. “Kenyans require political hygiene from the top,” the statement read.
Direct appeal to young Kenyans
The declaration closed with an appeal directed squarely at Kenya’s youth, urging them to obtain national identity documents, register to vote and sustain the civic energy generated by last year’s protests — widely seen as the most significant challenge to Ruto’s presidency since his 2022 election.
“The power to change this country lives in you,” the declaration concluded. “It is not a metaphor.”
Kenya’s 2027 general elections are expected to be keenly contested. Ruto, who came to power on a platform of economic empowerment for ordinary citizens under the banner of “Hustler Nation,” has faced mounting criticism over the cost of living, his government’s handling of public debt and its response to last year’s unrest, which left dozens dead after security forces opened fire on protesters.
Representatives of the President’s office and the government’s chief spokesperson did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
