Under pressure in the region over how governments should respond to Gen Z-led protests, the Kenya Human Rights Commission has warned that recent remarks linked to Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan could weaken protections for civic freedoms and encourage harsher state responses to youth activism.
The commission said it is concerned that the language used in describing young protesters risks shifting the focus from constitutional rights to ideas of punishment and control, which could narrow democratic space in Kenya and neighbouring countries.
The remarks came from a public engagement by President Suluhu, where she discussed possible coordination with President William Ruto in addressing what she described as disruptive youth movements crossing borders to take part in demonstrations and mobilisation.
“Piga mikwaju, wakija kwangu napiga mikwaju,” she said, calling for firm action against young people moving across countries during protest activities.
She added that regional governments should work together in handling what she termed indisciplined behaviour among youths, saying neither local nor foreign participants should be tolerated if they disrupt order.
“We should not take sides. When Tanzanians come to Kenya, you discipline them; when Kenyan Gen Zs come to Tanzania, I will discipline them as well so that they are in line,” she said.
President Suluhu further said that each country must strictly apply its laws, especially where individuals cross borders and engage in unlawful conduct.
“There is no need to disagree, fight or celebrate the wrongdoings happening in our region. When that happens in Kenya, it concerns Tanzania, and we must end it,” she said.
She also questioned governance models she felt did not reflect local traditions, arguing that democratic systems should be guided by culture and national values.
“The word democracy should not spoil our country, culture and beliefs. Democracy does not have a formula. Ours has a culture and a belief that is in line with democracy,” she said.
KHRC, however, said such framing of civic engagement risks normalising repression and weakening constitutional protections on freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.
The commission warned against any approach that introduces coercive practices into governance, saying Kenya’s democratic space must remain protected from punitive political rhetoric.
“We will not allow a repeat of Tanzania’s 2025 situation on Kenyan soil. Not by decree, not by force,” KHRC said.
It added that constitutional rights cannot be treated as privileges that depend on political convenience or interpretations of order.
“Constitutional rights are not negotiable, and they are not subject to suppression in the name of order,” the commission stated.
KHRC also urged leaders in the region to be mindful of the impact of their public statements, noting that political language can influence how state agencies respond to dissent and youth activism.
Earlier, Law Society of Kenya president Charles Kanjama also cautioned against any attempt to curtail constitutional freedoms through political direction, saying rights protected under law must be upheld without exception.
KHRC maintained that young people remain central to civic participation and should not be framed as threats to public order, urging governments to safeguard open democratic space across the region.