The Kenyan authorities paid a network of trolls to threaten and intimidate young protesters during recent anti-government demonstrations, Amnesty International has said.
A new report by the human rights organisation stated that government agencies also employed surveillance and disinformation to target organizers of the mass protests, which swept Kenya across 2024 and 2025.
The demonstrations were driven largely by Gen Z activists who used social media platforms to mobilize.
In response to Amnesty's report, Kenya's interior minister said the government does not sanction harassment or violence against any citizen.
But Amnesty claimed to have uncovered a campaign to silence and suppress the protesters. Young women and LGBT+ activists were disproportionately targeted, facing misogynistic and homophobic comments, as well as AI-generated pornographic content, according to their findings.
One activist told Amnesty: I had people coming into my inbox and telling me: 'You will die and leave your kids. We will come and attack you'. Another noted that they had to change their child's school following threats that included specific details about their family.
The report highlights a man who claimed to have been paid between 25,000 and 50,000 Kenyan shillings (about $190-$390; £145-£300) daily to boost government messaging and suppress trending protest hashtags on social media.
In addition to digital intimidation, the authorities have been accused of a violent crackdown on the protests. Reports indicate that over 100 lives were lost when police confronted protesters during two waves of protests—one in 2024 and another in 2025.
The government has admitted to instances of excessive force, while Amnesty focused on the systemic nature of the digital assault and harassment against the youth-led movements. Furthermore, they raised concerns about security forces' unlawful surveillance tactics, allegedly using mobile data to track protest leaders.
Amnesty chief Agnès Callamard stated, Our research proves that these campaigns are driven by state-sponsored trolls, individuals and networks paid to promote pro-government messages and dominate Kenya's daily trends on X.
In contrast, Kibchumba Murkomen, Kenya's Interior Minister, reaffirmed that the government does not endorse harassment or violence against any citizen, emphasizing that officers implicated in misconduct would be held accountable.
A new report by the human rights organisation stated that government agencies also employed surveillance and disinformation to target organizers of the mass protests, which swept Kenya across 2024 and 2025.
The demonstrations were driven largely by Gen Z activists who used social media platforms to mobilize.
In response to Amnesty's report, Kenya's interior minister said the government does not sanction harassment or violence against any citizen.
But Amnesty claimed to have uncovered a campaign to silence and suppress the protesters. Young women and LGBT+ activists were disproportionately targeted, facing misogynistic and homophobic comments, as well as AI-generated pornographic content, according to their findings.
One activist told Amnesty: I had people coming into my inbox and telling me: 'You will die and leave your kids. We will come and attack you'. Another noted that they had to change their child's school following threats that included specific details about their family.
The report highlights a man who claimed to have been paid between 25,000 and 50,000 Kenyan shillings (about $190-$390; £145-£300) daily to boost government messaging and suppress trending protest hashtags on social media.
In addition to digital intimidation, the authorities have been accused of a violent crackdown on the protests. Reports indicate that over 100 lives were lost when police confronted protesters during two waves of protests—one in 2024 and another in 2025.
The government has admitted to instances of excessive force, while Amnesty focused on the systemic nature of the digital assault and harassment against the youth-led movements. Furthermore, they raised concerns about security forces' unlawful surveillance tactics, allegedly using mobile data to track protest leaders.
Amnesty chief Agnès Callamard stated, Our research proves that these campaigns are driven by state-sponsored trolls, individuals and networks paid to promote pro-government messages and dominate Kenya's daily trends on X.
In contrast, Kibchumba Murkomen, Kenya's Interior Minister, reaffirmed that the government does not endorse harassment or violence against any citizen, emphasizing that officers implicated in misconduct would be held accountable.
