PRESS STATEMENT
Lukenya, Athi River
18th March 2026
#MaishaBoraSasa!
Maisha ni mbaya for millions of Kenyans; this is not just a phrase, but a daily reality marked by rising costs of living, shrinking opportunities, and growing uncertainty about the future.
We, representatives of civil society organizations, social movements, faith institutions, labour unions, youth formations, and governance actors, have come together at a critical moment in our nation’s history. Drawn from diverse sectors but united by a shared concern, we have collectively reflected on the current state of Kenya’s democracy, its challenges, its contradictions, and its promise. This is not just a moment of reflection; it is a moment of reckoning.
From these deliberations, grounded in lived realities and informed by our collective responsibility to the people of Kenya, we now speak with one voice.
1. KENYA IS AT A CRITICAL MOMENT
Kenya’s formal democratic structures seem intact. But their substance is eroding under the weight of institutional capture, declining public trust, economic hardship, and a shrinking civic space.
The June 2024 Gen Z protests were not just a protest. They were a verdict. A verdict on broken promises, unmet expectations, and a vast gap between citizens and those who lead them.
That verdict demands a response not episodic protest, but sustained, organized democratic renewal.
2. CIVIC SPACE IS A CITIZENS’ SPACE
The attack on civic space is unacceptable. The increasing crackdown on civic freedoms is deeply concerning and has affected both civic leaders and ordinary citizens. These actions include abductions, illegal deportations, surveillance, intimidation, interference with places of worship, and the spread of digital misinformation, including AI-generated content.
Civic space encompasses every Kenyan’s right to speak freely, assemble, participate in public life, and hold those in power accountable without fear of retaliation.
We demand the immediate cessation of all actions that restrict these fundamental freedoms and urge the protection of civic leaders, human rights defenders, and citizens who are actively engaged in public life and democratic processes.
3. DEMOCRACY IS UNDER THREAT
We are witnessing dangerous trends. The concentration of political power. Executive interference in independent institutions. Legislation was passed without genuine public participation. And support, whether direct or tacit, for groups causing instability in our region.
Article 94 vests the legislative authority of the Republic in Parliament on behalf of the people. Article 249 mandates that constitutional commissions are subject only to the Constitution and the law, and are not subject to the direction or control of any person or authority.
Parliament must defend its independence. Our institutions must serve the Constitution, not political convenience. We call on all actors to resist the erosion of the checks and balances that Kenyans fought hard to establish.
4. PROTECT THE VOTE, PREPARE FOR 2027
The next election cycle is upon us, and it presents an opportunity for positive change. We must address some pressing challenges, including the need for regulated campaign financing, robust electoral processes, and a strengthened Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), ORPP, Parliament, Judiciary, Law Enforcement agencies, and other election management bodies. We appeal to young Kenyans to take action by obtaining their national identification documents and registering to vote. Your participation matters. Every vote counts, and together, we can shape a brighter future. Let’s make our voices heard in the upcoming elections.
5. ECONOMIC JUSTICE AND PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY
Article 201 of the Constitution emphasizes the need for openness, accountability, and public participation in managing public finance, principles that the Controller of Budget and the Auditor-General are tasked with upholding. Therefore, any fund established must be in conformity with established constitutional guidelines.
Public funds are a shared resource belonging to all Kenyans, and we demand a commitment to full transparency throughout their management, disbursement, and accounting processes to ensure that these funds are utilized effectively for the benefit of all citizens.
6. Maisha Ni Mbaya
Kenya’s education and health systems are under significant strain. Persistent capitation challenges, overcrowded classrooms, and under-resourced hospitals continue to undermine service delivery. At the same time, a growing number of young people face unemployment and deepening disillusionment. Recent flood-related deaths have further exposed gaps in disaster preparedness. Yet, even as these pressures
mount, the State House budget is being increased in ways that raise serious concerns about priorities and accountability
Article 43 of the Constitution guarantees every Kenyan the right to the highest attainable standard of health and the right to education. Article 55 places a specific duty on the State to ensure youth have access to education, employment, and civic participation. These rights are justiciable. They are enforceable. And they are being denied.
We call for urgent, targeted investment in human development. We demand the full inclusion of women, youth, persons with disabilities, and all marginalised communities in every space of governance and decision-making. The cost of inaction is a lost generation, and that is a cost no nation can afford.
7. RESPECT AND GIVE HONOUR TO THE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENCY
The conduct that continues to degrade the Presidency is appalling, an institution and symbol of national unity that belongs to all Kenyans, as espoused in Article 131 of the 2010 Constitution. Article 73 of the Constitution is unambiguous; authority assigned to a State officer is a public trust. It must bring honour to the nation and dignity to the office. It vests in the office the responsibility to serve the people, not the power to rule them.
We demand that the President and all political leaders exercise language, conduct, and leadership worthy of the offices they hold. Chapter 6 is not merely an ornamental chapter of the Constitution but a guiding light for our leaders on their conduct in their political offices.
The Presidency is not a personal platform. It is a constitutional trust. Kenyans require political hygiene from the top, and across all political actors
OUR COLLECTIVE CALL TO ACTION
TO PARLIAMENT
Article 94 vests legislative authority in Parliament on behalf of the people, not the Executive, not party whips.
We demand: Defend your independence without apology. Reject all legislation pushed through without genuine public participation. Pass campaign finance reform before 2027. Exercise your oversight mandate with courage, hold the Executive to account on every shilling of public money spent under Article 201.
TO THE PRESIDENT AND THE EXECUTIVE
We demand: Conduct yourself with the dignity that Chapter 6 requires. End executive interference in independent institutions. Cease any support, direct or tacit, for groups fomenting regional instability. Redirect the nation’s resources toward health, education, and youth opportunity. The State House budget cannot expand while hospitals collapse and classrooms overflow.
TO SECURITY AGENCIES AND POLICE
The Constitution does not grant you the power to silence citizens. It commands you to protect them.
We demand: Immediately end all abductions, illegal deportations, surveillance, and intimidation of civic leaders and ordinary Kenyans. Stop interference with places of worship. Your lawful mandate is to protect the right to assemble, speak, and participate, not to extinguish it. You answer to the Constitution, not to political instruction.
You are the last line of defence when every other institution bends.
TO THE JUDICIARY
We demand: Remain fiercely and visibly independent, subject only to the Constitution and the law as Article 249 requires. The rights enshrined in Article 43 (health, education) and Article 55 (youth participation and opportunity) are justiciable. Enforce them. Act swiftly on violations of civic freedoms. Do not allow impunity to become the norm.
TO THE IEBC AND ALL ELECTORAL MANAGEMENT BODIES
2027 is not far. The work of electoral integrity begins today, not on nomination day.
We demand: Rebuild public trust through transparent, robust processes. Strengthen voter registration. Enforce campaign finance rules without fear or favour. Resist every form of political pressure that would compromise the vote. The June 2024 verdict showed that what Kenyans expect from a credible election is the minimum standard, not an achievement to celebrate.
TO EVERY KENYAN CITIZEN AND ESPECIALLY TO YOUNG KENYANS
The power to change this country lives in you. It is not a metaphor.
We call on you: Get your national identification document today, not someday. Register to vote. Do not wait for leaders to save you; hold them accountable at every turn. Carry the spirit of June 2024 forward into sustained, organized civic action. Reject the disinformation, including AI-generated lies designed to confuse and divide you. Your vote, your voice, and your vigilance are the foundation everything else is built on.
CLOSING
Kenya’s democratic future is not guaranteed. It must be built deliberately, collectively, and with urgency.
We, the intersectoral leaders, commit ourselves to that work. We invite every Kenyan to join us.
Issued at Lukenya, Athi River
Intersectoral Leadership Retreat Participant
- Inuka Kenya Ni Sisi!
- InformAction
- Centre For Multiparty Democracy (CMD)
- Uraia Trust
- Africa Center for Open Governance (AFRICOG)
- United Disabled Persons of Kenya [UDPK]
- Transparency International- Kenya
- Federation of Women Lawyers in Kenya (FIDA- Kenya)
- PAWA254
- Defenders Coalition
- Mzalendo Trust
- Elections Observation Group (ELOG)
- Elimu Bora Coalition
- AwaaZ Magazine
- Youth Agenda
- Economic and Social Rights Centre – HakiJamii
- Vijana Economic Front
- The Institute for Social Accountability (TISA)
- Siasa Place
- Constitution and Reform Education Consortium (CRECO)
