NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 19 -Human rights organization VOCAL Africa has written to the International Criminal Court (ICC) urging the Office of the Prosecutor to take formal notice of Kenya’s deteriorating political and human rights situation and place the country under close observation ahead of the 2027 General Election.
In the letter dated August 19, 2026, VOCAL Africa warned that the increasing use of organized gangs at political gatherings, inflammatory political rhetoric, attacks on journalists and protesters, and what it termed institutional failure could create conditions for widespread human rights violations and potentially international crimes.
The organization said its appeal was intended as an early-warning intervention under Article 15 of the Rome Statute, while acknowledging that the ICC can only intervene where the requirements of the statute are met.
VOCAL Africa said Kenya’s experience during the 2007-2008 post-election violence demonstrated how political intolerance, ethnic mobilization, inflammatory rhetoric, organized gangs and institutional failures could combine to produce mass violence.
“The warning signs now emerging must not be ignored until lives have been lost,” the organization said.
The organisation raised particular concern over what it described as the normalisation of political goonism since the Gen Z protests of 2024 and 2025.
It alleged that organised groups had increasingly been deployed during protests, political meetings, civic forums and other public gatherings to intimidate, assault, rob and silence politicians, journalists, human rights defenders, women, young people, peaceful protesters and perceived political opponents.
VOCAL Africa said incidents had been reported in Homa Bay, Mombasa, Nairobi, Kisumu, Keumbu in Kisii, Witima in Nyeri, Ol Kalou in Nyandarua, parts of Nakuru and Kitengela in Kajiado County.
It cited the August 16 political violence in Homa Bay as one of the incidents raising concern, saying political supporters and journalists were attacked and at least two people were killed, including a police officer, while scores of others were injured.
The organisation also cited alleged attacks on young people, journalists and human rights defenders in Mombasa and incidents involving peaceful protesters and public forums in Nairobi.
It further raised concern over attacks in places of worship, saying such venues should remain sanctuaries of peace and should not become targets because politicians or civil society actors are present.
VOCAL Africa questioned whether some of the groups involved in the attacks were being organised, financed or politically protected, and criticised what it described as inadequate action against those responsible for organising and funding violence.
Warning over inflammatory politics
The organisation also accused political leaders of increasingly using language that insults, threatens, dehumanises or portrays rival political constituencies and communities as enemies.
It said political rallies, media interviews and digital platforms were being used to spread ethnic hostility, threaten opponents and mobilise supporters against people holding different political views.
VOCAL Africa warned that such rhetoric should not be dismissed as ordinary political competition, arguing that Kenya’s history showed how inflammatory language, when combined with organised gangs, ethnic mobilisation, institutional weakness and impunity, could escalate into attacks against civilians.
The organisation said several politicians had been flagged by State institutions and civil society organisations over alleged hate speech, incitement, ethnic contempt and inflammatory statements.
It further claimed that warnings, summonses and investigations had often not been followed by prosecutions or meaningful consequences, creating a perception that politically influential individuals were above the law.
Institutions criticised
VOCAL Africa also criticised institutions tasked with preventing violence, electoral malpractice, corruption and misuse of public office.
It questioned the effectiveness of the National Cohesion and Integration Commission, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission and the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission, accusing them of failing to take sufficiently effective action against political violence, ethnic incitement and misuse of public resources.
The organisation warned that institutional failure to prevent foreseeable violence and prosecute its organisers could contribute to conditions in which grave crimes become possible.
It said the deteriorating political environment had also been accompanied by attacks on journalists and human rights defenders, invasions of places of worship, enforced disappearances, deaths in police custody and alleged extrajudicial killings.
VOCAL Africa described the combination of organised political violence, inflammatory rhetoric, shrinking civic space, institutional paralysis and impunity as a “dangerous convergence of warning signs” with less than a year remaining before the 2027 election.
Appeal to ICC
VOCAL Africa asked the ICC Prosecutor to formally take note of the situation and retain its communication for continuing assessment under Article 15 of the Rome Statute.
It also called for Kenya to be placed under close observation, particularly regarding organised political violence, ethnic incitement, attacks against civilians and the conduct of State and non-State actors ahead of the 2027 election.
The organisation asked the ICC to receive, preserve and analyse credible information concerning acts that could contribute to crimes within the Court’s jurisdiction.
It further urged the Prosecutor to pay particular attention to individuals and networks responsible for organising, financing, directing, facilitating or protecting gangs used to attack civilians, journalists, protesters, human rights defenders and political opponents.
VOCAL Africa also called on the international community, including the United Nations, African Union, diplomatic missions and international human rights organisations, to monitor developments in Kenya.
It proposed the deployment of long-term human rights and electoral monitors before the formal campaign period, arguing that an early international presence could help document emerging patterns, identify responsible actors and deter further deterioration.
The organisation stressed that its communication was a preventive appeal and warned against waiting until widespread violence occurs before international action is taken.
VOCAL Africa CEO Hussein Khalid signed the letter, which was copied to the UN Secretary-General, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, the UN Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide and the Chairperson of the African Union Commission.
The appeal comes as political activity gathers pace ahead of the 2027 General Election, with competing political formations increasingly holding rallies and mobilising supporters across the country.
