On 18 and 19 May 2026, protestors took to the streets in different parts of the country against rising fuel prices. The police reportedly used excessive force to disperse the protests, including use of tear gas, leading to the death of at least four people, more than 30 people injured and hundreds arrested. These violent crackdowns are unconstitutional, as the Kenyan constitution provides the right to demonstrate, picket, assemble and present petitions as stated in article 37 of the Kenyan constitution. Of the hundreds of arrested protestors in Nairobi, most of them were released the same day with no chargers levelled against them. As a result, Nairobi Chief Inspector Dishen Angoya, the officer commanding station at Central Police Station, was arrested over claims that he unlawfully released 64 of suspected protestors
Civil society actors condemned the police abuses and killings, as well as called for investigations into the killings and defended the lawful release of protesters by the chief inspector. They also urged the Kenyan government and police to respect constitutional rights, due process and the right to peaceful protest.
The use of excessive force against protesters, mass arrests and the arrest of a police officer for releasing individuals who were not formally charged have a chilling effect on citizens, activists, and civil society organisations seeking to exercise their constitutional rights. Such actions undermine freedoms of assembly, expression and association, while weakening public trust in state institutions and the rule of law.