The Republic of Kenya is situated on the equator and on Africa’s east coast with the Great Rift Valley running through the country. After the Mau Mau insurgency of the 1950s, Kenya gained independence from Britain in 1963. The population of approximately 58 million is largely Christian (85.5%), with a large Muslim minority (10.9%). Other religious minorities make up the remainder of the population.
According to the National Population Census of 2019 released by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), 755,000 people identified as atheist or having no religion. The country is ethnically diverse, but issues linked to ethnicity have historically been a source of political conflict.
Kenya is a member of the East African Community (EAC) and home to more than 629,000 refugees, the majority of whom come from neighboring Somalia and South Sudan.
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Education and children’s rights |
Family, community, society, religious courts and tribunals |
Freedom of expression advocacy of humanist values |
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Constitution and government
Education and children’s rights
Family, community, society, religious courts and tribunals
Freedom of expression advocacy of humanist values
The state is secular, with separation of religious and political authorities, not discriminating against any religion or belief
Countries: Belgium, Brazil, Central African Republic, Congo, Republic of the, Ecuador, Estonia, Fiji, Gabon, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Japan, Kosovo, Mongolia, Namibia, Nauru, Netherlands, São Tomé and Príncipe, Slovenia, South Africa, South Sudan, Suriname, Taiwan, Ukraine
Insufficient information or detail not included in this report
Countries: no countries relate to this boundary condition
Religious or ideological instruction is mandatory in all or most state-funded schools with no secular or humanist alternative
Countries: Afghanistan, Algeria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Brunei Darussalam, Comoros, Croatia, Egypt, Eswatini, Ghana, Iran, Iraq, Kenya, Lebanon, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritania, Morocco, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe
No formal discrimination in education
Countries: Albania, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Congo, Republic of the, Czech Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, France, Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Honduras, Iceland, India, Japan, Korea, Republic of, Kyrgyzstan, Madagascar, Mali, Mongolia, Montenegro, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Russia, São Tomé and Príncipe, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Sweden, Taiwan, Timor-Leste (East Timor), Uruguay
Insufficient information or detail not included in this report
Religious courts or tribunals rule directly on some family or ‘moral’ matters; it is legally an opt-in system, but the possibility of social coercion is very clear
No religious tribunals of concern, secular groups operate freely, individuals are not persecuted by the state
Countries: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Benin, Bolivia, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Canada, Chile, Congo, Republic of the, Czech Republic, Dominica, Ecuador, Estonia, France, Ghana, Guatemala, Iceland, Japan, Korea, Republic of, Kosovo, Latvia, Luxembourg, Mongolia, Namibia, Nauru, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Palau, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, São Tomé and Príncipe, Slovenia, Sweden, Taiwan, Uruguay, Venezuela
Insufficient information or detail not included in this report
No fundamental restrictions on freedom of expression or advocacy of humanist values
Countries: Bahamas, Belgium, Czech Republic, Iceland, Jamaica, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Mongolia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Palau, Romania, Slovenia, Sweden
Insufficient information or detail not included in this report
Countries: no countries relate to this boundary condition
No condition holds in this strand
No condition holds in this strand
No condition holds in this strand
No condition holds in this strand
Countries: no countries relate to this boundary condition
Localised or infrequent but recurring and widespread social marginalisation or prejudice against the non-religious
This condition is unusual in that it is applied in cases where there is some social discrimination, but it is not pervasive or nationwide. This condition is applied when there is sufficient background evidence to warrant the assertion that discrimination is not anomalous but widespread, and this condition may be applied for example even where if there is no legislative discrimination or where the non-religious may have legal recourse against such discrimination. However, societal discrimination (i.e. discrimination by peers, as opposed to state or legal discrimination) is not easily measured, and for this reason the Report does not currently have similar more severe boundary conditions to capture higher levels of social discrimination per se. In principle these may be introduced in future. However, we consider that countries with actual higher levels of social discrimination against the non-religious will generally already meet other higher level (more severe) boundary conditions under this thematic strand.
The dominant influence of religion in public life undermines the right to equality and/or non-discrimination
Applied when the influence of religion on public life undermines others' rights, such as SRHR, women's rights, LGBTI+ rights.
May be applied when the influence is overt (i.e. when religious laws are applied to undermine others' rights) or covert (i.e. where religious pressure groups exert influence to affect policy)
Countries: Albania, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Bahamas, Belize, Bolivia, Brunei Darussalam, Burundi, Chile, Congo, Democratic Republic of, Côte d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Eritrea, Eswatini, Fiji, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, Hungary, Iran, Italy, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, Lebanon, Liberia, Lithuania, Mali, Mexico, Moldova, Montenegro, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Oman, Panama, Paraguay, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Slovakia, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Timor-Leste (East Timor), Trinidad and Tobago, Ukraine, Zambia
Use of Conscientious Objection clauses resulting in the denial of lawful services to women and LGBTI+ people
Complete tyranny precludes all freedoms of expression and thought, religion or belief
Applied when overriding acts of oppression by the State are extreme, to the extent that the question of freedom of thought and expression is almost redundant, because all human rights and freedoms are quashed by authorities.
The non-religious are barred from some government offices (including posts reserved for particular religions or sects)
Countries: Algeria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Comoros, Eritrea, Lebanon, Malaysia, Mauritania, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Syria, Thailand, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen
There is systematic religious privilege
Countries: Algeria, Argentina, Armenia, Bahrain, Belize, Botswana, Brazil, Cambodia, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Finland, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guinea, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Latvia, Lebanon, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Madagascar, Malaysia, Malta, Moldova, Myanmar (Burma), Nepal, Palestine, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Serbia, Slovakia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Timor-Leste (East Timor), Togo, Tunisia, United Kingdom, United States of America, Vanuatu, Zambia, Zimbabwe
There is a nominal state church with few privileges or progress is being made toward disestablishment
Religious or ideological indoctrination is utterly pervasive in schools
There is state funding of at least some religious schools
Countries: Argentina, Australia, Bangladesh, Belize, Brunei Darussalam, Burundi, Cameroon, Canada, Comoros, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Croatia, Denmark, Dominica, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Fiji, Finland, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Grenada, Guinea, Guyana, Haiti, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Jamaica, Kosovo, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Morocco, Nepal, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Pakistan, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Philippines, Poland, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Samoa, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Switzerland, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, United Kingdom, United States of America, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Yemen, Zimbabwe
State-funded schools offer religious or ideological instruction with no secular or humanist alternative, but it is optional
Countries: Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Denmark, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, Gambia, Germany, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Italy, Kiribati, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Moldova, Monaco, New Zealand, Oman, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Senegal, Seychelles, Solomon Islands, Tanzania, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, United Kingdom, Vanuatu, Venezuela
Expression of non-religious views is severely persecuted, or is rendered almost impossible by severe social stigma, or is highly likely to be met with hatred or violence
The non-religious are persecuted socially or there are prohibitive social taboos against atheism, humanism or secularism
Countries: Algeria, Bangladesh, Georgia, India, Indonesia, Jordan, Malaysia, Maldives, Nigeria, Oman, Rwanda, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Turkey
There is significant social marginalisation of the non-religious or stigma associated with expressing atheism, humanism or secularism
Countries: Barbados, Colombia, Egypt, Ghana, Iraq, Kenya, Lebanon, Malaysia, Malta, Poland, Samoa, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Uganda
Expression of core Humanist principles on democracy, freedom and human rights is brutally repressed
Countries: Afghanistan, Bahrain, Brunei Darussalam, Chad, China, Eritrea, Iran, Kuwait, Mauritania, Myanmar (Burma), North Korea, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, United Arab Emirates, Yemen
Expression of core humanist principles on democracy, freedom or human rights is severely restricted
Countries: Algeria, Angola, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Brazil, Burundi, Central African Republic, Congo, Democratic Republic of, Cuba, Djibouti, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eswatini, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Guinea, Honduras, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Laos, Libya, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Morocco, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Oman, Philippines, Russia, Rwanda, Samoa, Somalia, Tajikistan, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Expression of core humanist principles on democracy, freedom or human rights is somewhat restricted
Countries: Andorra, Armenia, Benin, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Congo, Republic of the, Côte d'Ivoire, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Guinea-Bissau, Israel, Jordan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mexico, Mozambique, Niger, Paraguay, Poland, Senegal, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Singapore, South Africa, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Turkey, Tuvalu, Uganda, United States of America
Some concerns about political or media freedoms, not specific to the non-religious
Countries: Albania, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Austria, Belize, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Denmark, Dominica, Ecuador, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, France, Gambia, Ghana, Greece, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Hungary, India, Ireland, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Korea, Republic of, Kosovo, Kuwait, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovakia, Solomon Islands, Spain, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste (East Timor), Tonga, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States of America, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Viet Nam, Zambia
Religious authorities have supreme authority over the state
State legislation is partly derived from religious law or by religious authorities
Countries: Algeria, Bangladesh, Comoros, Egypt, Indonesia, Iraq, Israel, Lebanon, Malaysia, Morocco, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Qatar, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates
Preferential treatment is given to a religion or religion in general
This condition is applied where there are miscellaneous indicators that organs of the state offer various forms of support for a religion, or to religion in general over non-religious worldviews, suggesting a preference for those beliefs, or that the organs of that religion are privileged.
Countries: Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Belize, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Burundi, Canada, Cape Verde, Colombia, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Finland, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Liberia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Montenegro, Mozambique, Myanmar (Burma), Nepal, New Zealand, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Oman, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Rwanda, San Marino, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Timor-Leste (East Timor), Tunisia, Turkey, Tuvalu, United Kingdom, United States of America, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Zimbabwe
Official symbolic deference to religion
Countries: Albania, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Botswana, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Congo, Democratic Republic of, Croatia, Cyprus, Djibouti, Dominica, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eswatini, Finland, Germany, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati, Korea, Republic of, Laos, Latvia, Liberia, Malawi, Malaysia, Malta, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Myanmar (Burma), Nepal, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Russia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Serbia, Singapore, Tanzania, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, United Kingdom, United States of America, Vanuatu, Zimbabwe
Religious or ideological instruction in a significant number of schools is of a coercive fundamentalist or extremist variety
This condition highlights countries where schools subject children to fundamentalist religious instruction with no real opportunity to question fundamentalist tenets, or where lessons routinely encourage hatred (for example religious or ethnic hatred). The wording "significant number of schools" is not given a rigid quantification (sometimes the worst-offending schools are unregistered, illegal, or otherwise uncounted); however the condition is not applied in cases where only a small number of schools meet the description and may be anomalous, as opposed to being indicative of a widespread problem.
Religious schools have powers to discriminate in admissions or employment
Countries: Argentina, Armenia, Bangladesh, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, Equatorial Guinea, Finland, Germany, Haiti, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Jamaica, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Morocco, Myanmar (Burma), Sri Lanka, Uganda, United Kingdom, United States of America, Zimbabwe
State-funded schools provide religious education which may be nominally comprehensive but is substantively biased or borderline confessional
There is a pattern of impunity or collusion in violence by non-state actors against the non-religious
Systemic religious privilege results in significant social discrimination
Countries: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ghana, Guinea, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Latvia, Lebanon, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mauritania, Morocco, Myanmar (Burma), Nepal, Oman, Palestine, Paraguay, Qatar, Russia, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Thailand, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen, Zimbabwe
Some religious courts rule in civil or family matters on a coercive or discriminatory basis
Countries: Comoros, Egypt, Haiti, Jamaica, Lebanon, Malaysia, Nigeria, Palestine, Philippines, Singapore, Turkey
‘Apostasy’ or conversion from a specific religion is outlawed and punishable by death
Countries: Afghanistan, Brunei Darussalam, Iran, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritania, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Yemen
‘Apostasy’ is outlawed and punishable with a prison sentence
Blasphemy or criticism of religion is restricted in law and is punishable by a fine
Countries: Australia, Austria, Barbados, Brazil, Cambodia, Finland, Italy, Kyrgyzstan, Libya, Moldova, Montenegro, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Saint Lucia, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkmenistan, Uganda, United Kingdom
Concerns that secular or religious authorities interfere in specifically religious freedoms
Countries: Angola, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Burundi, Cameroon, China, Congo, Republic of the, Denmark, Ethiopia, Germany, Ghana, Haiti, Hungary, Italy, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Malawi, Malaysia, Mauritania, Mexico, Nepal, North Korea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Singapore, Tajikistan, Tonga, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Ukraine, Venezuela, Viet Nam
State legislation is largely or entirely derived from religious law or by religious authorities
Countries: Afghanistan, Bahrain, Brunei Darussalam, Iran, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Maldives, Mauritania, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, United Arab Emirates, Yemen
There is an established church or state religion
Countries: Algeria, Argentina, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Costa Rica, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Finland, Georgia, Haiti, Iceland, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Liechtenstein, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mauritania, Monaco, Morocco, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Tuvalu, United Kingdom, Yemen, Zambia
Anomalous discrimination by local or provincial authorities, or overseas territories
Countries: Cameroon, Dominica, Ethiopia, France, Ghana, Guinea, India, Jamaica, Malawi, Malaysia, Mexico, Micronesia, Mongolia, Niger, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Rwanda, Switzerland, Thailand, Tonga, Tuvalu, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States of America, Uruguay
Religious or ideological instruction is mandatory in at least some public schools (without secular or humanist alternatives)
Countries: Argentina, Armenia, Belize, Cambodia, Chad, China, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Germany, Guinea, Haiti, Hungary, Indonesia, Ireland, Jamaica, Jordan, Kosovo, Kuwait, Lesotho, Libya, Malawi, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Palestine, Peru, Philippines, Samoa, Switzerland, Thailand, Uganda, United Kingdom
Government figures or state agencies openly marginalize, harass, or incite hatred or violence against the non-religious
Countries: Afghanistan, Egypt, Hungary, Iran, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritania, Morocco, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Sudan
Government authorities push a socially conservative, religiously or ideologically inspired agenda, without regard to the rights of those with progressive views
Countries: Afghanistan, Algeria, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Burundi, China, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, India, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Madagascar, Malaysia, Montenegro, Morocco, Nicaragua, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Poland, Russia, Saint Lucia, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Slovakia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, Vanuatu, Viet Nam, Yemen, Zimbabwe
Discriminatory prominence is given to religious bodies, traditions or leaders
Countries: Algeria, Andorra, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Benin, Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Denmark, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Finland, Gambia, Germany, Grenada, Haiti, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kiribati, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Micronesia, Moldova, Morocco, Myanmar (Burma), Nepal, Nigeria, Oman, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Qatar, Romania, Samoa, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Solomon Islands, Spain, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Timor-Leste (East Timor), Tonga, Tunisia, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States of America, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe
‘Blasphemy’ or criticism of religion is outlawed and punishable by death
‘Blasphemy’ is outlawed or criticism of religion (including de facto ‘blasphemy’ laws) is restricted and punishable with a prison sentence
Countries: Algeria, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Comoros, Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Finland, Gambia, Germany, Grenada, Guyana, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, Kuwait, Lebanon, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Morocco, Myanmar (Burma), Nepal, Oman, Palestine, Papua New Guinea, Poland, Qatar, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, São Tomé and Príncipe, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovakia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Tanzania, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Quasi-divine veneration of a ruling elite is enforced, or a single-party regime holds uncontested power, subject to severe punishment
Legal or constitutional provisions exclude non-religious views from freedom of religion or belief
Countries: Argentina, Burundi, Canada, Eritrea, Haiti, Jordan, Lebanon, Madagascar, Malaysia, Morocco, Oman, Philippines, Qatar, Rwanda, Sri Lanka, Tonga
It is illegal to register an explicitly Humanist, atheist, secularist or other non-religious NGO or other human rights organization, or such groups are persecuted by authorities
Countries: Afghanistan, Brunei Darussalam, Burundi, China, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Kuwait, Maldives, Morocco, North Korea, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, United Arab Emirates, Yemen
Prohibitive interreligious social control (including interreligious marriage bans)
Countries: Afghanistan, Algeria, Bangladesh, Brunei Darussalam, Djibouti, Egypt, Indonesia, Iraq, Israel, Lebanon, Libya, Maldives, Mauritania, Morocco, Myanmar (Burma), Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen
Religious groups control some public or social services
Countries: Algeria, Argentina, Canada, Central African Republic, Chad, Denmark, Germany, Haiti, Hungary, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Lebanon, Malawi, Malaysia, Marshall Islands, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Rwanda, Solomon Islands, Switzerland, Tunisia, United Kingdom, United States of America
It is illegal to advocate secularism or church-state separation, or such advocacy is suppressed
Countries: Afghanistan, Brunei Darussalam, Comoros, Indonesia, Iran, Jordan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Maldives, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen
The non-religious are barred from holding government office
There is a religious tax or tithing which is compulsory, or which is state-administered and discriminates by precluding non-religious groups
Countries: Argentina, Austria, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Ghana, Haiti, Hungary, Italy, Pakistan, Peru, Rwanda, Samoa, Sweden, Switzerland
Religious control over family law or legislation on moral matters
Countries: Afghanistan, Algeria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belize, Brunei Darussalam, Burundi, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritania, Morocco, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen
It is illegal or unrecognised to identify as an atheist or as non-religious
Countries: Comoros, Egypt, Eritrea, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Maldives, Morocco, Oman, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, United Arab Emirates
Some concerns about children's right to specifically freedom of religion or belief
This condition may apply if specifically religious education, religious materials, or specific religious denominations are so tightly controlled that children are in fact over-protected from exposure to religion and are likely unable to explore or construct their own worldview in accordance with their evolving capacities. This condition helps us to classify states (perhaps with secular constitutions) which have criminalized specifically religious beliefs or practices. This condition is not applied if the restricted beliefs or practices are found to be outlawed due to their being of an extremist variety. While this condition does not directly reflect discrimination against non-religious persons or non-religious ideas, it does represent an overall threat to freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief; such restrictions could spill over to affect non-religious beliefs later; and they pose a risk of backlash against over-zealous secular authorities or even against non-religious individuals by association.
Countries: China, Congo, Democratic Republic of, Cuba, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Guinea, Guyana, Italy, Kazakhstan, Laos, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mali, Mexico, North Macedonia, Romania, Tajikistan, Togo, Turkmenistan, United States of America, Uzbekistan, Viet Nam, Zimbabwe
State-funding of religious institutions or salaries, or discriminatory tax exemptions
Countries: Algeria, Andorra, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bhutan, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Chad, Congo, Democratic Republic of, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, Eswatini, Finland, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Guinea, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, Korea, Republic of, Latvia, Lebanon, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mauritius, Montenegro, Myanmar (Burma), Namibia, Nepal, New Zealand, Nicaragua, North Macedonia, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Slovakia, Spain, Suriname, Switzerland, Thailand, Timor-Leste (East Timor), Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, United Kingdom, United States of America, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Yemen, Zimbabwe
It is made difficult to register or operate an explicitly Humanist, atheist, secularist or other non-religious NGO or other human rights organization
Countries: Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Comoros, Congo, Democratic Republic of, Egypt, Eritrea, Georgia, Malaysia, Mauritania, Nigeria, Pakistan, Palestine, Senegal, Somalia, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan
| Severe Discrimination |
| Systemic Discrimination |
| Mostly Satisfactory |
Constitution and government
In 2010, Kenya adopted a new Constitution that declares that there is no state religion and the state shall be religiously neutral. The Constitution protects the rights to freedom of expression, freedom of the media, freedom of association and assembly, and freedom of conscience, religion, thought, belief and opinion. Key provisions of the Constitution include:
The Right to Freedom of Religion (Article 32): In Article 32, it is declared that every person has the right to freedom of conscience, religion, thought, belief, and opinion. This includes the right to manifest any religion or belief through worship, practice, teaching, or observance, either individually or in community with others.
Non-Discrimination (Article 27): The Constitution prohibits discrimination based on religion in Article 27, ensuring that individuals cannot be denied access to institutions, employment, or facilities due to their beliefs.
No State Religion (Article 8): There is no state religion in Kenya as outlined in Article 8, which further supports the pluralistic nature of the society.
Although Kenya’s Constitution declares there is no state religion, its Preamble refers to the “supremacy of the Almighty God.” It also establishes Kadhi’s Courts with jurisdiction over limited matters of Islamic personal law, and requires that Kadhi’s Court officials be persons who profess the Muslim faith.
President William Ruto, who was sworn in as Kenya’s new President in 2022, is widely considered to be the country’s first evangelical Christian President. Since his appointment in 2022, there has been growing concern that the secular nature of the Kenyan state is at risk. During his 2022 election campaign, President Ruto signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with evangelical churches agreeing “to protect the church.” The MoU included government funding for pastors, allocation of land to churches, the appointment of clergy to government roles, and the lifting of a moratorium on the registration of new churches – which had formerly been put in place to curb growing radicalization and commercialization.
President Ruto and the First Lady are reported to have a chapel in one of their suburban homes. First lady, Rachel Ruto, has publicly declared that she will work with religious groups to protect “family values” and lead national prayers against homosexuality. She has also created a “Faith Diplomacy Office” to spread a “praying culture” across the country.
Registration of religious groups
Kenya’s Societies Act (1968) requires religious groups, institutions or places of worship, and faith-based non- governmental organizations (NGOs) that are constituted as “societies”, to apply for registration or exemption with the Registrar of Societies – a department under the Office of the Attorney General. Unregistered societies are considered unlawful and are not permitted to operate. However, in practice this is often inconsistently enforced. Indigenous and traditional religious groups are not required to register.
Leaders of new religious groups are required to hold a diploma or degree from a recognized religious institution as well as a sworn affidavit that shows whether they are registered members or officers of other religious societies. The obligation has been criticized by the Hindu Council of Kenya on the basis that the Hindu faith does not recognize, or require, any specific religious certification for Hindu priests.
Registered religious institutions and places of worship are not required to pay tax on tithes, offerings, and donations as they are not considered as income under the Income Tax Act of 1974. Non-governmental organizations are also required to register with the NGO Coordination Board.
Registration of non-religious groups
In 2016, Humanists International’s member organization – the Atheists in Kenya Society (AIK) – became the first non-religious society to be registered under the Societies Act after initially being rejected. However, only two months later, the group’s registration was suspended after complaints from religious groups. The organization’s founder and President, Harrison Mumia, challenged the suspension at the High Court, succeeding in the reinstatement of the society’s status in 2018. According to the Judge’s ruling, non-religious beliefs are offered equal protection under the law:
“In my view, it is a matter of conscience for any person to decide whether to believe in anything or be religious for if it was not the case, it will translate into people being compelled to believe in or practice what is actually against their conscience. The right of atheist (sic) should thus be protected under Article 32 […] it would be unconstitutional to impose a belief in any person if that person does not endorse as this amounts to theocratic tyranny which our constitution does [not] support as is made clear in Article 8 which provides that “there shall be no state religion” and Article 32 (4) which states that “A person shall not be compelled to act, or engage in any act, that is contrary to the person’s believe (sic) or religion.”
In 2022, former Member of Parliament (MP) Bishop Stephen Ndichu, a known Christian fundamentalist, petitioned the High Court in another attempt to revoke the organization’s registration. The Bishop claimed that the registration, and continued operation of the organization, violated the Kenyan Constitution which acknowledges “the supremacy of the Almighty God of all Creation”. The petition was dismissed by the High Court in 2024. The judge opined that holding non-theistic or atheistic views is protected under Articles 8 and 32(4) of the Constitution, and that the petition was therefore without merit.
The petition challenging the registration of AIK came following their public criticism of religious activity in government. In June 2022, AIK expressed concern about the Chief Justice’s participation in the National Prayer Breakfast and, shortly after President William Ruto’s inauguration in September 2022, AIK issued a statement condemning First Lady Rachel Ruto’s hosting of religious leaders at State House – the official residence of the President.
Shakahola Forest Massacre
In 2023, 429 bodies were discovered in mass graves in Shakahola forest, Malindi. The deaths were discovered to be part of a religious cult led by self-proclaimed Pastor, Paul Mackenzie, who encouraged his followers to prepare for the end of the world by starving themselves and their children. Most of the bodies showed signs of both starvation and assault. In 2024, Mackenzie and 29 of his associates were charged with the murder of 191 children. Mackenzie also faces multiple counts of manslaughter and charges of child abuse and terrorism. At the time of writing, nine further bodies have been discovered in fresh graves, raising fears that the cult may still be active.
In response to what has been described as “one of the worst ever cases of cult-related mass deaths”, the President and senior leaders apologized to Kenyans for the slow response and promised to regulate religious sects. However, the discovery of two bodies in the compound of another religious sect in Migori County, in May 2025, has again raised the question of the regulation of religious groups. In 2024, a Religious Organizations Bill seeking greater regulation of religious institutions was put before the Senate and opened to public consultation towards the end of 2025.
Human rights abuses in the name of counter-terrorism
In response to a spate of terrorist attacks in the country over the last two decades, Kenya has implemented large-scale counter-terrorism operations. The United Nations Committee against Torture and human rights groups have consistently raised concerns about allegations of human rights abuses perpetrated by state officials in the context of counter-terrorism operations. These include allegations of extrajudicial killings, torture, gender-based violence, enforced disappearance, arbitrary arrest and detention, extortion and forcible relocation. These human rights abuses are reported to disproportionately affect Muslims, particularly the Somali community. The United Nations (UN) has repeatedly called on Kenya to ensure that measures taken to combat terrorism are proportionate, strictly necessary, and conform with the UN Convention against Torture. They have also requested that Kenya review its definition of terrorism in the Prevention of Terrorism Act (2012) to ensure that it is in line with international standards.
Education and children’s rights
In both public and private schools in Kenya, non-religious students – or students from other faiths – must undertake compulsory religious education as part of the curriculum. Religious education typically reflects the local faith of the community or the organization that sponsors the school, and is most commonly either Christian, Islamic or Hindu.
The Atheists in Kenya Society (AIK) continues to call for the abolishment of religious education in schools and, in 2023, recommended to a government task force on education reforms that religious education be replaced with philosophy and ethics courses.
Olympic High School case
In a case regarded as a test of religious freedom in the country, a girl was sent home by Olympic High School, Nairobi, due to her dreadlocks. Her father went to court on 14 January 2019, suing the school for sending his daughter home for refusing to cut her dreadlocks. His lawyer, Wambua Shadrack, said the action amounted to discrimination on the basis of Rastafarian beliefs. Justice Chacha Mwita ruled that Rastafarianism is a religion, whose practices, including the growing of dreadlocks, shouldn’t be discriminated against in public institutions. “The fact that she keeps rastas should not have been the basis to chase her from school,” the judge said, reiterating that “School rules should never be applied in a manner that infringes on the students’ Constitutional rights”.
Child marriage
Despite Kenya’s strong legal framework to address child marriage, the issue continues to affect girls from marginalized communities where effective enforcement has been challenging. In Turkana county, for example, the UN reports that one in four girls are married before they are 18 years old. The impact of drought and food shortages has also increased the economic pressure on families – many of whom are reported to be “marrying off girls to secure dowries to help support the rest of the family”.
Family, community and society
During Kenya’s 2025 Universal Periodic Review (UPR), the UN Human Rights Committee raised concerns that there continues to be no comprehensive and effective anti-discrimination framework consistent with its obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. These concerns extend to discrimination linked to sex, sexual orientation and gender identity, religion or belief, disability, albinism, socio-economic status, HIV status, and ethnic or political affiliation, among others. Similar concerns about the absence of an effective anti-discrimination law were raised in Kenya’s 2020 and 2015 UPR cycles.
Religious courts
Under Article 45(4)(b) of the Kenyan Constitution, parliament is required to enact legislation recognizing a system of personal and family law adhered to by persons professing a particular religion. The Constitution allows Kadhi’s courts – courts that apply Sharia law – to be used where all parties concerned describe themselves as Muslims and agree to submit themselves to the jurisdiction of the court. These courts are permitted to make rulings on matters relating to personal status, marriage, divorce and inheritance. However, there is no clear mechanism to ensure that vulnerable individuals from Muslim communities – who may not identify as Muslim – are not socially coerced into submitting to these courts.
The country’s secular High Court has jurisdiction over civil or criminal proceedings, including those in the Kadhi’s courts, and accepts appeals of any Kadhi’s court decision.In 2023, the Court of Appeal ruled in favor of the rights of the child over Sharia law in an inheritance dispute. It was argued that, under Sharia law principles, a child born outside of marriage may only receive inheritance from the mother. However, the court ruled that the child was entitled to inherit from his late father’s estate. The Supreme Court upheld the decision in 2025, declaring that,
“In our view, denying children born out of wedlock by the same parents the same benefits accorded to children born within wedlock, on the basis of the alleged “sins” of their parents, is unreasonable and unjustifiable”
Women’s rights
Gender inequality persists in Kenyan society and discriminatory stereotypes about the roles of women and men are prevalent. Violence against women and girls is common and, according to a 2024 report by Human Rights Watch, approximately 13 women and girls are murdered, and 130 cases of sexual violence, are reported weekly. The 2015 Protection Against Domestic Violence Act is poorly enforced and marital rape has yet to be criminalized. In 2024, two high profile killings sparked marches across the country calling for stronger action from the government against gender-based violence.
Sexual & reproductive health
Women in Kenya face barriers to accessing sexual and reproductive health care. According to a number of youth rights groups in Kenya, the National Reproductive Health Policy 2022-2023, imposes parental consent for young women and girls under 21 to access reproductive health care and information with the result that the majority are effectively excluded from receiving these services.
According to the Kenya Obstetrical and Gynaecological Society, an estimated 2,600 women die from unsafe abortions every year. Although Kenya’s 2010 Constitution recognizes the right to abortion in cases where the life or health of the mother is in danger, the Penal Code still continues to criminalize abortion in all circumstances. This unclear and restrictive legal framework leads many women to seek unsafe and illegal abortions. In recent years, two High Court rulings have affirmed that abortion is indeed a right under the Constitution.
Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)
Although the Prohibition of Female Genital Mutilation Act came into force in 2011, implementation has been challenging. A number of ethnic groups continue the practice and it is estimated that 15% of women and girls in the country have been subjected to FGM. The UN Committee Against Torture has called on the Kenyan Government to take stronger measures to eradicate the practice, including increased awareness-raising among religious and traditional leaders.
Witchcraft accusations
An escalating pattern of killings and attacks on elderly people, particularly women, have been documented in recent years. Claims of witchcraft are frequently used as an excuse for the attacks, often in a bid to claim land from victims. Colonial injustices in the form of land seizures have never been rectified by subsequent governments, which has fuelled ongoing land disputes exacerbated by rising unemployment and economic crises. According to the human rights group Haki Yetu, more than 250 murders were committed between 2020-2022 across Kenya’s coastal counties. Similar figures have been reported in parts of Western Kenya.
A Colonial-era witchcraft law – the Witchcraft Act of 1925 – remains in place and enables perpetrators to legally defend their actions. Additionally, patriarchal attitudes that girls and women should neither inherit nor own land or other property persist. A lack of understanding of age-related conditions – such as dementia – also contributes to the phenomenon. Given the widespread belief in witchcraft in many communities, perpetrators are rarely prosecuted when witchcraft is given as a reason for murder.
LGBTI+ rights
According to Freedom House, there are significant implicit barriers facing non-Christian and LGBTI+ individuals that wish to participate in national politics.
Under Articles 162, 163 and 165 of the British Colonial era Penal Code, “carnal knowledge……against the order of nature” is criminalized with a maximum penalty of 14 years imprisonment. Five years imprisonment is the maximum penalty for “acts of gross indecency” between males. Although these laws are rarely applied, the LGBTI+ community faces ongoing discrimination, abuse, and violent attacks. There have been several high-profile murder cases of LGBTI+ individuals in recent years.
In 2023, the Supreme Court ruled that LGBTI+ groups had the right to register as NGOs. The ruling was met with protests and threats to the LGBTI+ community. An MP from the United Democratic Alliance Party, Mohammed Ali, cited the Quran and a Biblical passage claiming that they called for the death penalty for homosexual acts.
Prior to the ruling, a Family Protection Bill had been tabled by opposition MP Peter Kaluma seeking to outlaw same-sex relationships and any kind of LGBTI+ activity or advocacy. This included the production, marketing, advertising, publishing, printing, broadcasting, and distribution of any content – including of an artistic nature – which “promoted” or “encouraged” homosexuality. The bill specifically aims to “promote marriage between man and woman and to proscribe homosexuality, same sex unions and relationships.” It also declares that “No group, society, association, club or organization bearing the name “homosexual”, “lesbian”, “gay”, “bisexual”, “transgender”, “queer’, ‘questioning’, whether in full or abbreviated, shall be registered in Kenya.” At the time of writing, the Family Protection Bill remains a legislative proposal awaiting scrutiny and has not yet been passed into law.
Reports indicate that since 2023, there has been a rise in anti-LGBTI+ disinformation, leading to self-censorship within the LGBTI+ community. There has also been a reported rise in conversion therapy practices used by both Christian and Muslim religious leaders and within religious settings. The UN Human Rights Committee has expressed concern about incidents of children being expelled from school on the basis of actual or suspected sexual orientation and/or gender identity. According to CIVICUS, a generational divide has emerged on these issues:
“Deeply rooted cultural and religious beliefs continue to dominate national debates, with conservative voices strongly resisting change. A clear generational divide has emerged: while younger Kenyans generally side with progress, traditional groups within political and religious institutions typically work to maintain the status quo.”
The experience of the non-religious
According to the Atheists in Kenya Society (AIK), the first challenge facing the non-religious in Kenya is to be allowed to exist openly in a highly religious society. Many of their members struggle to maintain relationships and are fearful of repercussions at work. They experience online harassment and cite cases of companies firing employees for being atheists.
“You can’t come out as an atheist without being considered a devil worshipper, so for many people [AIK] meetings are the only place they can be open.” (see Testimonies Section)
Freedom of expression, advocacy of humanist values
Freedom of expression, freedom of the media, and freedom of assembly and association are enshrined in the Kenyan Constitution. However, respect for these rights is varied and often restricted on the pretext of tackling insecurity. In the case of freedom of expression specifically, an array of laws carrying criminal sanctions are used to silence journalists, limit online expression and restrict criticism of the government. The Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act 2018 has been used to target bloggers and internet shutdowns and restrictions on digital platforms have become a growing concern.
Media freedom
Kenya boasts one of the most vibrant media landscapes in Africa and journalists have actively worked to expose government corruption and wrongdoing. However, several laws restrict press freedom. Amendments to the Kenyan Information and Communications Act in 2013 introduced strong controls on radio and television broadcasts. There is a high rate of impunity for the harassment of journalists by government and security forces with such incidents rarely investigated by the police. Some journalists are reported to self-censor due to the combination of restrictive press laws and the potential for intimidation and violence. This is particularly the case for women journalists.
Media coverage of public protests exposes journalists to risks of reprisals. Dozens of media personnel were injured while covering protests against a finance bill in 2024 and several journalists were attacked or arrested. Media outlets, including KTN News, said that the authorities had threatened to shut down the station in response to their reporting of the protests. Human Rights Watch found that media organizations had ceased their live coverage of the protests after their editors had received threats from the authorities.
Blasphemy Laws
Kenya criminalizes “blasphemy” under Chapter 14 of the Penal Code. Specifically, Article 134 focuses on “Insult to religion” and refers to destroying, damaging or defiling a place of worship or a sacred object with intent/knowledge that it would insult a religion. Article 138, entitled “Writing or uttering words with intent to wound religious feelings” criminalizes words, sounds, gestures, or objects made with deliberate intent to wound another person’s religious feelings. Article 134 may result in a fine or up to two years imprisonment while Article 138 carries a prison sentence of up to one year.
Freedom of Assembly
Kenya’s Constitution protects the right to freedom of assembly, yet the Public Order Act requires organizers of public meetings and demonstrations to notify the police in advance – a requirement that is often reported to be used in practice to block or disperse peaceful assemblies. Freedom House reports that, although security forces showed some restraint during the 2022 electoral period, during opposition-led demonstrations in 2023, an estimated 30 people were killed and more than 300 were arrested. The UN has also raised concerns about the policing of demonstrations, including allegations of abductions, enforced disappearances, arbitrary detention, and excessive force.
In 2024, Amnesty International reported that thousands of people took part in demonstrations opposing a proposed Finance Bill and corruption. Police responses to the protests prompted serious allegations of abuses, including excessive force, deaths and injuries, arbitrary detention, and enforced disappearances. The government reportedly approved military support for police operations during the unrest, even though the Constitution limits such deployment to emergencies and requires parliamentary approval.
Freedom House reported that dozens of people were killed and hundreds more were injured throughout the duration of the protests, which lasted for more than seven weeks. In addition, over 80 demonstrators and government critics were reportedly abducted and detained without due process.
In 2024, Kenya’s National Assembly considered the Assembly and Demonstration Bill, a proposal to regulate demonstrations. The Bill would require protest organizers to give advance notice of at least three days (and no more than fourteen days), including the location, route and time. It empowers a “regulating officer” to stop or prevent protests on the basis of “a breach of the peace or public order.” It also links participation in demonstrations considered unlawful to criminal liability under the Penal Code, with penalties including up to one year’s imprisonment.
Freedom of Association
Kenya has a large and active civil society sector. However, NGOs have periodically faced regulatory pressure and targeting, including deregistration threats for alleged non-compliance with financial reporting and governance requirements. Kenya’s NGO regulator has previously moved to deregister hundreds of organizations for alleged financial or reporting violations – steps that have been contested in court and criticized by civil society groups and observers as politically motivated efforts to constrain NGO activity.
During the 2024 protests over a proposed Finance Bill, President Ruto publicly alleged that the US-based Ford Foundation had financed the demonstrations and linked the organization to the unrest. The Ford Foundation denied funding or sponsoring the protests and reaffirmed that its grantmaking is strictly non-partisan and well-documented. Commentators described the accusation as an attempt to discredit protest organizers and civil society groups.
Testimonies
“I don’t know what my family has a harder time accepting, my atheism or my orientation. I came out as an atheist when I was 17 and when I told them I was gay later on, they concluded that I’m gay because I don’t believe in god.
It’s been really hard being a gay atheist because I’m an assertive person who doesn’t run away from debate. I’ve lost many friends and been blocked and deleted on Facebook. I’ve been betrayed by family (a relative complained to my father and demanded I be reprimanded for my orientation). I’ve been drugged and raped because I came out to someone I thought was my friend, but I felt like no one was going to believe me so I never spoke about it after it happened, I just never spoke to my attacker again. I’ve been ignored by family members who I used to be really close to because they know I’m a gay atheist.
… I’m still forced to go to church when my mother wants me to which is very uncomfortable because she truly believes that if she forces me to go to church, I’ll go back to being a “straight Christian”.
… My sexuality and religious views are not the problem, it’s the religious intolerance and homophobia that has the problem. Changing their perception of me is not easy because they’ve been brainwashed, so I stopped trying. … The thing with homophobia and religious people is that they hate what makes them feel uncomfortable and victimise whoever’s different. But I’ll never stop voicing my opinions because I am a person with rights and I hope to be respected more one day.”
— Dorothy