On 12 June 2026, the post-budget dialogue forum held at All Saints Cathedral in Nairobi was violently disrupted by suspected individuals who were allegedly hired by the government. The forum brought together various stakeholders including Transparency International Kenya (TI-Kenya), Kenya Human Rights Commission and faith-based organisations, and aimed analysing Kenya’s national budget for 2026/27 and whether it was reflective of public priorities. Several groups of armed men forcibly entered the premises of the cathedral and violently caused disruptions, and police reportedly opened fire on the intruders in the air. One of the suspects was later arrested and investigations is on cause.
Civil society actors, including TI Kenya and the Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims condemned the attack, and called for accountability following claims made by the arrested individual.
The violent disruption of a peaceful civil society dialogue on the national budget raises concerns about shrinking civic space in Kenya. Such incidents can discourage civil society actors and citizens from participating in public policy debates and exercising their freedom of assembly, particularly where there are allegations of politically motivated intimidation. Failure to ensure accountability may further undermine the rights to peaceful assembly, association and freedom of expression.