Activist Boniface Mwangi Condemns Police and Courts for Criminalizing Peaceful Protests in Kenya
Quote from Lawyer on May 14, 2026, 6:45 amActivist Boniface Mwangi has strongly criticized the arrest and prosecution of demonstrators who participated in protests during the Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi. He accused the police and the judiciary of working together to criminalize constitutionally protected peaceful assemblies.
In an interview on NTV on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, Mwangi described the recent arrests as part of a broader pattern where authorities routinely treat peaceful protest as a criminal offence. He argued that the courts enable this by allowing protest-related charges to proceed, which in turn legitimizes law enforcement actions against citizens exercising their rights.
Mwangi emphasized that the Kenyan Constitution explicitly guarantees the right to peaceful assembly. He questioned why individuals participating in such demonstrations are being charged in court and faulted the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for approving charges against what he called lawful civic expression.
"I think our courts have made it possible for the police to break the law. Because every time the police arrest people during a protest, they are breaking the law, because the law protects you," Mwangi stated. He added that repeated arrests during demonstrations represent a clear violation of constitutional freedoms.
His comments come after the arrest of 13 protesters in separate incidents across Nairobi’s Central Business District. Police moved to restrict access to key summit venues hosting heads of state, diplomats, and international delegates. Officers deployed tear gas to disperse crowds attempting to march toward the Kenyatta International Convention Centre along Uhuru Highway and near the GPO roundabout.
Several of those arrested were later arraigned at the Milimani Magistrates Court facing charges of offensive conduct conducive to breaches of peace. Security was heavily tightened around summit venues, including the KICC and Serena Hotel, with anti-riot police blocking major roads to control movement during the high-level meetings.
Mwangi drew a comparison with France, noting that public demonstrations there are more widely tolerated, even when directed at visiting leaders. He urged Kenyan institutions to uphold constitutional protections rather than suppress civic participation.
The activist’s remarks highlight ongoing debates about the balance between public order and the fundamental rights to assembly and expression during major international events in the country.
Activist Boniface Mwangi has strongly criticized the arrest and prosecution of demonstrators who participated in protests during the Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi. He accused the police and the judiciary of working together to criminalize constitutionally protected peaceful assemblies.
In an interview on NTV on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, Mwangi described the recent arrests as part of a broader pattern where authorities routinely treat peaceful protest as a criminal offence. He argued that the courts enable this by allowing protest-related charges to proceed, which in turn legitimizes law enforcement actions against citizens exercising their rights.
Mwangi emphasized that the Kenyan Constitution explicitly guarantees the right to peaceful assembly. He questioned why individuals participating in such demonstrations are being charged in court and faulted the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for approving charges against what he called lawful civic expression.
"I think our courts have made it possible for the police to break the law. Because every time the police arrest people during a protest, they are breaking the law, because the law protects you," Mwangi stated. He added that repeated arrests during demonstrations represent a clear violation of constitutional freedoms.
His comments come after the arrest of 13 protesters in separate incidents across Nairobi’s Central Business District. Police moved to restrict access to key summit venues hosting heads of state, diplomats, and international delegates. Officers deployed tear gas to disperse crowds attempting to march toward the Kenyatta International Convention Centre along Uhuru Highway and near the GPO roundabout.
Several of those arrested were later arraigned at the Milimani Magistrates Court facing charges of offensive conduct conducive to breaches of peace. Security was heavily tightened around summit venues, including the KICC and Serena Hotel, with anti-riot police blocking major roads to control movement during the high-level meetings.
Mwangi drew a comparison with France, noting that public demonstrations there are more widely tolerated, even when directed at visiting leaders. He urged Kenyan institutions to uphold constitutional protections rather than suppress civic participation.
The activist’s remarks highlight ongoing debates about the balance between public order and the fundamental rights to assembly and expression during major international events in the country.