Amnesty Issues Advisory to Police Ahead of Nationwide Fuel Price Protests
Amnesty International Kenya has issued an advisory to the National Police Service (NPS) ahead of planned nationwide protests on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, over rising fuel prices and the cost of living.
In a statement, Amnesty International Kenya Executive Director Irungu Houghton reminded police that the Constitution guarantees the right to peaceful assembly.
He cited Article 37 of the Constitution of Kenya 2010, which provides that every person has the right to assemble, demonstrate, picket and present petitions peacefully and unarmed.
“The police bear a primary responsibility for facilitating and protecting this right, not suppressing it. The purpose of protest notifications is to coordinate public safety, not to request permission,” Houghton said.
The lobby group raised concern over past protests, where it documented cases of excessive use of force, arbitrary arrests, harassment of journalists and obstruction of medical personnel.
Amnesty warned that individual officers and their commanders could be held personally liable for violations of human rights and the law. It referenced recent court rulings and the July 2025 Interior Ministry policy guidelines on the use of force and firearms, which set out standards for policing demonstrations.
The organisation called on the NPS to ensure peaceful assemblies are protected, saying protesters should not be dispersed, arrested or intimidated for exercising their constitutional rights.
It also urged police commanders to take responsibility for the conduct of officers under their command, stressing that all deployed officers must be clearly identifiable through uniforms, name tags and service numbers.
“The use of force must be lawful, necessary, proportionate and a last resort. Police officers must prioritise de-escalation and dialogue,” Houghton said, adding that the use of live ammunition and other crowd-control measures against peaceful protesters is prohibited.
Amnesty further called for the protection of journalists and media workers, warning against any interference with media operations, internet access or live coverage of the protests.
The group emphasised that police must distinguish between peaceful demonstrators and individuals involved in criminal acts, noting that protesters should not be collectively punished.
It also urged that all arrests be conducted lawfully, with suspects informed of reasons for arrest, granted access to legal counsel, and presented in court within 24 hours.
In cases of deaths or serious injuries, Amnesty said incidents must be reported to the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA), with full cooperation from the police and other oversight bodies.
“Public order and human rights are not mutually exclusive. There must be no further loss of life, no excessive use of force, and no suppression of media freedom during the exercise of the right to peaceful protest,” the statement added.
The planned demonstrations come amid rising fuel prices linked to tensions in the Middle East. The government has since reduced fuel Value Added Tax from 16 per cent to 8 per cent in a bid to stabilise prices, but opposition leaders and sections of the public say more measures are needed to cushion Kenyans.