The Kenyan authorities paid a network of trolls to threaten and intimidate young protesters during recent anti-government demonstrations, Amnesty International has said.
A new report by the human rights organisation stated government agencies also employed surveillance and disinformation to target organizers of the mass protests, which swept Kenya throughout 2024 and 2025. Driven largely by Gen Z activists, these demonstrations mobilized primarily via social media platforms.
In response to Amnesty's findings, Kenya's interior minister asserted that the government does not sanction harassment or violence against any citizen.
However, Amnesty argues it has uncovered a campaign to silence and suppress these protesters. The report highlighted that young women and LGBTQ+ activists faced disproportionate levels of harassment, including misogynistic and homophobic comments, as well as AI-generated pornographic images.
One activist recounted receiving threats about her child, which forced her to change schools for safety. The report includes testimony from an individual who claimed to be part of a team that was paid daily to amplify government messaging on social media, specifically to drown out protest hashtags.
The protests resulted in more than 100 reported deaths during violent confrontations with police in both 2024 and 2025. Amnesty's chief, Agnès Callamard, indicated that the organization’s research demonstrates a coordinated effort by state-sponsored trolls to suppress protests through digital means.
Reports of excessive force, arbitrary arrests, and enforced disappearances have emerged as well. The authorities have acknowledged instances of excessive force but have defended their actions in other scenarios, leading to criticism regarding their accountability in the ongoing protests, which are rooted in grievances over tax increases, femicide, and corruption. The situation continues to develop as the government faces scrutiny over its handling of dissent and respect for civil rights.
A new report by the human rights organisation stated government agencies also employed surveillance and disinformation to target organizers of the mass protests, which swept Kenya throughout 2024 and 2025. Driven largely by Gen Z activists, these demonstrations mobilized primarily via social media platforms.
In response to Amnesty's findings, Kenya's interior minister asserted that the government does not sanction harassment or violence against any citizen.
However, Amnesty argues it has uncovered a campaign to silence and suppress these protesters. The report highlighted that young women and LGBTQ+ activists faced disproportionate levels of harassment, including misogynistic and homophobic comments, as well as AI-generated pornographic images.
One activist recounted receiving threats about her child, which forced her to change schools for safety. The report includes testimony from an individual who claimed to be part of a team that was paid daily to amplify government messaging on social media, specifically to drown out protest hashtags.
The protests resulted in more than 100 reported deaths during violent confrontations with police in both 2024 and 2025. Amnesty's chief, Agnès Callamard, indicated that the organization’s research demonstrates a coordinated effort by state-sponsored trolls to suppress protests through digital means.
Reports of excessive force, arbitrary arrests, and enforced disappearances have emerged as well. The authorities have acknowledged instances of excessive force but have defended their actions in other scenarios, leading to criticism regarding their accountability in the ongoing protests, which are rooted in grievances over tax increases, femicide, and corruption. The situation continues to develop as the government faces scrutiny over its handling of dissent and respect for civil rights.
