Kenya took bold moves and formally designated the Muslim Brotherhood and Hizb ur Tahrir as terrorist organisations.
Officials termed the move a sweeping escalation of its crackdown on extremist terror groups.
The declaration was published in a special Kenya Gazette notice dated September 19, 2025 and signed by Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen under the provisions of the Prevention of Terrorism Act.
The move makes it illegal to operate, support, or fund either group inside the country, while their networks can now be disrupted and their assets frozen.
The order will remain in force until revoked by either the Cabinet Secretary or the courts, ensuring an indefinite ban unless directly overturned.
Kenya’s decision to join the list of countries proscribing the Brotherhood is therefore a significant step, reflecting both domestic security priorities and wider alignment with regional counter-terror policies.
By designating the Muslim Brotherhood and Hizb ur Tahrir, Kenya hopes to cut off the ideological and financial pipelines that analysts say can nourish radicalisation in the Horn of Africa — particularly among vulnerable youth.
The ban also strengthens Kenya’s ability to monitor and dismantle transnational networks that could otherwise exploit its open political system and charitable sector.
For Kenya, long burdened by the turmoil in neighbouring Somalia, the designations underscore a wider momentum in its war on terror.
Officials argue that by pre emptively outlawing transnational Islamist movements, the state is staying ahead of potential threats rather than merely responding to attacks after they happen.
The move is also likely to bolster Kenya’s international standing with allies who have pushed for tougher measures against global Islamist movements, while reassuring citizens who have endured more than a decade of insecurity.
Kenya has long been on the frontline of the war against terrorism, suffering some of the most devastating attacks in East Africa.
The Westgate Mall siege in 2013, which left at least 67 people dead, burned itself into the national psyche.
Two years later, the Garissa University massacre killed 148 people, mostly students. And in 2019, a siege at the DusitD2 hotel complex in Nairobi claimed 21 lives.
All were blamed on al Shabab, the Somalia-based al Qaeda affiliate that routinely launches cross-border raids into Kenyan territory.
Nairobi has responded with an array of counter-terror measures including stepped-up intelligence gathering, military operations in Somalia, tighter border controls, and rehabilitation programmes for returnee fighters.
These efforts have significantly reduced the number of successful large-scale attacks, though sporadic ambushes in border counties like Mandera, Garissa and Wajir remain common.
The Muslim Brotherhood, founded in Egypt in 1928 by Hassan al Banna, is widely regarded as the most influential Islamist movement of the 20th century.
It blends Islamic revivalist ideology with social, educational, and political activism, aspiring to see governments across the Muslim world run in line with Islamic law.
The Brotherhood has inspired affiliates and branches across the Middle East, North Africa, Europe, and beyond.
While it has at times contested elections and participated in democratic politics, it has also been accused of fuelling extremist ideologies and providing the ideological framework for groups such as Hamas, its Palestinian branch, which is already designated a terrorist group by many countries.
In recent years, states such as Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Russia have outlawed the Brotherhood, citing its alleged role in spreading extremism and undermining state stability.
For its supporters, however, the group is often seen as a vehicle for social reform, welfare provision and political participation.
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