Police officers in Mombasa have arrested two well-known human rights activists after they attempted to interrupt a public participation session on the Finance Bill 2025.
The incident occurred during a scheduled meeting held at Tononoka Hall, where citizens had gathered to offer their views on the proposed legislation.
The two activists, Mathius Shipeta from Haki Africa and Francis Auma from the Muhuri Organisation, took issue with the timing of the forum, which coincided with the Eid-ul-Adha holiday, a sacred day of celebration for Muslims, also known as the Feast of Sacrifice.
The activists peacefully approached the podium and requested that the public participation session be postponed to another date out of respect for the religious holiday.
“This is a public holiday. Why is such an important process being conducted today? This is a show of disrespect to both citizens and the Ministry of Interior,” one of the activists said.
Despite arriving with a court order they claimed allowed for the suspension of the process, police officers stationed at the venue refused to acknowledge it.
Instead, the officers forcefully removed the activists from the hall and placed them under arrest. Witnesses reported that the police dragged the two out of the venue, drawing public concern and criticism.
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The activists also raised concerns about the poor turnout at the session, pointing out that fewer than 30 people were in attendance. “How can this be considered meaningful public participation when so few people are involved?” they asked.
In response to the arrests, Haki Africa issued a strongly worded statement condemning the authorities’ actions.
The organisation argued that scheduling a public consultation on a national holiday was strategic and exclusionary, aimed at limiting the number of participants and stifling dissent.
“Conducting a crucial national exercise like this on a public holiday undermines the constitutional right to meaningful public participation as outlined in Article 10 of the Kenyan Constitution,” read the official statement from Haki Africa.
The organisation further called for the immediate release of the two arrested activists and demanded that the entire Finance Bill public participation process be carried out in a way that is transparent, inclusive, and sensitive to the religious and cultural calendars of all Kenyans.
This incident is just the latest in a growing trend of arrests targeting civic activists in Kenya. Only a week earlier, software developer and activist Rose Njeri was arrested after creating a digital platform that allowed Kenyans to voice their opposition to the Finance Bill 2025.
She was held in police custody for four days, later being charged with unauthorised interference with a computer system. Njeri was released on Ksh100,000 bond while awaiting her court hearing.
In a separate, recent incident, renowned activist Boniface Mwangi and Ugandan human rights defender Agather Atuhire were arrested and allegedly tortured in Tanzania, where they had traveled to observe the court proceedings of opposition leader Tundu Lissu.
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These recurring arrests have sparked serious concerns among human rights organisations and civil society groups, who warn that such actions signal a dangerous crackdown on freedom of expression and civic engagement in the country.
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