The current – Jubilee Government has rolled back the gains that the Kenya civil society had made over the decades. The liberties enjoyed by Kenyans today was a result of a painful struggle by the civil society. But today draconian measures have been taken by the current government that severely cripples the civil society and the wider NGO fraternity. In 2014, the Government banned about 510 NGOs. The Government including the President has persistently attacked the civil society organizations in Kenya. The International Centre for Policy and Conflict describes the current situation as follows: “that the current regime is intolerant and is alarmingly shrinking the space of civil society by attempting to hinder their access to funding, profiling and blacklisting prominent human rights organizations in Kenya… Civil society workers are being harassed, attacked, and even murdered to stop them from carrying out their work and to intimidate others from pursuing similar efforts to stand up for citizens’ rights or take on entrenched socio-political and economic interests that are depriving Kenyans of their dignity and access to quality services… Since its election in 2013, the Jubilee regime has led a smearing campaign against human rights NGOs and is striving to gain control over them or silence them... The Jubilee government is deliberately reducing the room for operations of human rights NGOs, known for being critical of its policies.... By labelling human rights groups as ‘terrorism agents’ acting against national interest, President Kenyatta government is acting in ways known of authoritarian regimes”.
NGOs and the wider civil society is critical in Kenya’s political, economic, social, democratic and human development. They link with grassroots communities and reach areas where Government is sometimes unable to reach. The Good Governance Team-Kenya (GGT-K) will work very closely with NGOs. It shall advocate for the formation of a Development Partnership in a Structured Framework of Cooperation between the Government and the NGO fraternity. NGOs right to seek funding from abroad for the development of the people should not be curtailed. NGOs should be accorded greater protection and whatever support they seek to help them develop the country. The Government should hold an Annual Consultative Meeting with the NGOs and civil society in a frank atmosphere to review the partnership and chart the way forward. Government should not resort to brutal ways of dealing with NGOs however critical they may be of Government policies. NGOs should be encouraged to provide critique of such policies to enable Kenya have a strong foundation base.
See Links
- President Uhuru, Jubilee regime should stop vicious attack on civil society in Kenya
- Kenya NGOs listed in probe say the government is 'soiling the names of institutions'
- Foreign-funded NGOs in Kenya feel the heat
- In Kenya, averting a move to strangle civil society with the financial noose
- Why Uhuru, Ruto must not be allowed to kill civil society
Kenya: Protests held by Civil Societywww.demotix.com
Kenya: Protests held by Civil Societywww.demotix.com
- Kenya: Protests held by Civil Societywww.demotix.com -Civil activists demonstrating outside the Kenyan parliament last November over two bills they said would curb hard-won freedoms, muzzle government critics and undermine democracy. A clause on one of the bills sought to cap foreign funding of NGOs at 15 per cent. Photo: Tony Karumba/AF