🚨 GOONS CANNOT SILENCE THE PEOPLE'S VOICE We strongly... condemn the violent disruption of the Post-Budget Forum at All Saints Cathedral, a peaceful gathering that brought together citizens, civil society, faith leaders, and private sector actors to discuss the national budget and its impact on ordinary Kenyans. The use of violence and intimidation to silence public participation is an attack on democracy and the constitutional rights of all Kenyans. This is not an isolated incident. The growing use of goons to disrupt lawful civic engagement and instill fear must be rejected by all who believe in democracy, accountability, and the rule of law. No amount of intimidation will stop citizens from engaging in conversations about the future of our country. #DefendDemocracy #ProtectCivicSpace #PublicParticipation #PeoplesBudget #Kenyashow more

. Hon. FCPA John Mbadi Ng'ongo, EGH, this youth... says that you dispatched them to disrupt a meeting at All Saints Cathedral that was scrutinizing the budget you presented yesterday. Mbadi, you cannot distance yourself from this attack by the goons. You must take responsibility for your actions and for those of the goons who acted at your behest. Public participation and scrutiny of the national budget are our democratic rights.show more

Martha Karua: The protection of democracy cannot be left... to citizens and political leaders alone; it is the responsibility of every Kenyan. We therefore call on all Kenyans to reject political violence in all its forms, regardless of who perpetrates it or who claims to benefit from itshow more

No Democracy Survives the Desecration of Its Sanctuaries What... happened at All Saints Cathedral on Friday is an assault on civilization. For centuries, the church has stood as a sanctuary and a place of refuge, prayer and conscience. From the Kiambaa church fire of 2008 where 35 souls perished trapped inside a house of God, we know what it means when goons are let loose on sacred spaces. Kenya must never walk that road again. The facts are chilling. On June 12th, coordinated gangs, arriving on motorcycles in two calculated waves, stormed All Saints Cathedral, terrorised civil society actors attending a legitimate post-budget accountability forum, robbed participants, destroyed property and sent Kenyans fleeing for their lives inside a place of worship. CCTV footage exists. Faces are known. Motorcycle plates have been recorded. A suspect in custody has allegedly named a government official as the sponsor. The Inspector General of Police must now ensure thorough investigations are done, and that every perpetrator and financier of this outrageous act is arrested and prosecuted to the full extent of the law. To those that engineered this act of repression, silencing citizens who are exercising their constitutional right to public participation is not leadership. The church is not a political battleground. It is sacred ground which the State has an absolute duty to protect. Church grounds must never be reduced to a venue for intimidating and attacking those who seek its refuge.show more

State-hired goons have stormed a meeting where the KHRC... and other CSOs were discussing the 2026-2027 budget that was presented yesterday. One of the assailants was arrested and said he was sent by a government official. Some valuables, including a phone, were stolen during the incident. The civil society held this meeting at All Saints Cathedral in Nairobi to assess how well the budget addressed citizen concerns. We condemn this act of intimidation and assert that it will not deter us from scrutinizing the budget. We will continue to demand that it put the interests of the people at front and center.show more

Today in Lagos State, yet again, we witnessed an... ugly but all-too-familiar scene: thugs allegedly sponsored and elements of the police working not to protect the people, but to intimidate, harass, and silence them. During GRV’s event, what should have been a peaceful democratic gathering turned into a targeted attempt to suppress free expression and political participation. Yet, in the face of fear and violence, brave Nigerians stood tall. We are immensely proud of those citizens who acted with courage and unity to protect one another and ensure GRV and his supporters were escorted to safety. This is the spirit of true democracy the will of the people refusing to be broken. But we must say this clearly and without apology: the use of violence, intimidation, and state-backed thuggery to undermine political opposition is a stain on Lagos State’s democratic record. This same pattern played out during the last elections, where voters were attacked, threatened, and in some cases injured simply for supporting the candidate of their choice. These are not isolated incidents they are part of a shameful strategy of political suppression that must be condemned by all lovers of democracy. Enough is enough.show more

I strongly condemn the violent attack at Witima ACK... Church in Othaya, where former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and his team, together with unarmed leaders and civilians, are trapped inside a place of worship as live bullets and tear gas are deployed and vehicles torched outside. This is a grave and unacceptable violation of the Constitution and the rule of law. A church is a sacred and protected space. The use of force against unarmed citizens in such circumstances is unlawful and indefensible. I hold the Inspector General of Police and all those responsible fully accountable for the safety of Rigathi Gachagua, his team, and all civilians inside the church. No political ambition or rivalry can ever justify terrorising citizens or attacking a place of worship. Kenya must remain a constitutional democracy governed by law, not violence, fear, or impunity.show more

Today, BJP-backed hooligans launched a cowardly and brutal attack... on our workers. This violent assault is a stark reflection of their cowardice. The voice of democracy cannot be silenced through violence and intimidation. We strongly condemn this reprehensible attack and demand that the police administration immediately arrest those responsible and ensure exemplary punishment.show more

CS John Mbadi: This is the first budget since... the passing of the late Raila Odinga, who is fondly remembered as a patriot and national hero and who championed economic justice, democracy, and equal opportunity for all Kenyans. In honour of his immense contribution to our country, I would politely request and invite members of this house to observe a moment of silenceshow more

A national budget is the people’s ledger. Kenyans must... not be misled, and we must not be silent in the face of what points to the possible misappropriation of public funds. Accountability is not optional.show more

The violent attack on AITC Tripura's office by BJP-backed... goons is not an isolated act of aggression, it is an open assault on democracy. When those in power unleash violence to silence their opponents, they expose not strength, but fear and moral bankruptcy. The BJP talks about “saving democracy” while burning its very foundations, state after state. They may destroy offices, tear posters, and intimidate workers — but they cannot destroy the spirit of resistance that lives in every Trinamool worker and every citizen who believes in justice. We will not be silenced. We will not back down. The people of Tripura and India are watching.show more

"If what we witnessed at All Saints Cathedral is... anything to go by, the fact that goons attacked a church and were so confident that they even threatened the police is a sign of great danger ahead." The Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops has criticized the government for sponsoring goons to attack All Saints Cathedral and other churches.show more

Earlier this year, I urged Kenyans to reject fear,... protect their vote, and stand together when the time comes. This week, the people of #OlKalou showed the nation exactly what that looks like. They reminded us of a simple truth: no amount of intimidation can defeat a people who stand together. Those who thrive on fear want Kenyans to believe that violence is stronger than their vote. It isn't. In 2027, let us show up in our numbers, protect every vote, and prove that the will of the people will always be stronger than the politics of intimidation. #TuunganeTujikomboeshow more

It is with great concern that I condemn the... burning of the APC party offices in Bo and the attack on my motorcade yesterday in Pujehun. These acts of violence are completely unacceptable and have no place in a democratic society. I strongly urge all political parties and their supporters to refrain from engaging in violence and instead focus on conducting peaceful and respectful campaigns. Political differences should be resolved through constructive dialogue and engagement rather than resorting to violence and intimidation. I am committed to promoting unity, peace, and stability in the country. I believe that a peaceful and respectful election process is critical for the development and progress of the country. I always condemned any form of violence and will continue to do so. I call on the relevant authorities to investigate these incidents and bring the perpetrators to justice. I also urge the authorities to take measures to ensure the safety and security of all political candidates and their supporters. I urge all Sierra Leoneans to work towards a peaceful and respectful election process. Let us focus on the issues that matter most to the people and engage in constructive dialogue to find solutions to the challenges facing our country. Together, we can build a brighter future for all Sierra Leoneans.show more

Yesterday I had the opportunity to address Senior Government... officials at the Inter-Departmental Workshop on the Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan 2020–2030 in the context of South Africa’s Chairship of SADC. Only 12 per cent of South Africans interviewed had heard of the African Continental Free Trade Area. This means that more than 80 per cent of our citizens were unaware of one of the continent’s most important economic integration projects. If awareness of the continental free trade area is this low, what would the numbers look like if citizens were asked about SADC Vision 2050, the Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan and the quest for a common, prosperous future in our region? The success of any strategy depends not only on its technical design. It also depends on our ability to frame and champion a vision that society can rally behind. We must demonstrate that ordinary South Africans stand to gain from regional integration. This task is even more urgent in light of acts of violence and intimidation that are directed at migrants from our African continent. South Africa is governed by the rule of law and respect for human rights. No civilian has the authority to assume the functions of law enforcement agencies. Acts of lawlessness, intimidation and violence against migrant communities have no place in our constitutional democracy. As the Minister of Police pronounced that, government will act against those who foment chaos and target migrants. These acts of violence constitute a threat to our constitutional order. The pronouncement that all those found to be participating in, inciting or supporting such criminal conduct will face the full might of the law must be welcomed by all of us. We have to work together with countries in the region to deal with the root causes of irregular migration across our region and continent. The economic, crime and cross border criminality is a shared responsibility that we must tackle together.show more

Today in Migori Town, H.E. James Orengo was holding... a peaceful public engagement with wananchi when, according to reports, police officers and suspected hired goons emerged and disrupted the meeting using teargas and stones. Just yesterday, President Ruto stood before the country promising to end political intolerance and violence, while preaching peace, unity and tolerance. But what we are witnessing today raises serious questions. Words must be followed by action. It is time for those in authority to put an immediate stop to political violence and intolerance. Peaceful political engagements should never be disrupted simply because some people disagree with a particular leader or political side. Our leaders must also stop interfering with peaceful engagements and allow wananchi to freely listen to leaders of their choice. We will stand firm and defend our constitutional rights. Is this really the Kenya we want? A country where leaders cannot address the people peacefully without their meetings being disrupted by teargas, violence and intimidation? This kind of political intolerance is taking us backwards and must be condemned in the strongest terms possible. We cannot build a strong democratic nation when peaceful meetings are met with violence and intimidation. Kenyans deserve better.show more

Today, alongside fellow opposition leaders and members of the... Linda Mwananchi movement, we addressed the escalating pattern of political violence and intimidation in the country. We have seen political gatherings disrupted, convoys attacked, citizens assaulted and goons openly deployed to intimidate those exercising their constitutional rights. Homa Bay is the latest example of a pattern that is untenable and should not be tolerated. Many of those involved in this state sponsored goonism have been captured clearly on camera. Why have we not seen those responsible and those who organise, finance and enable them held to account? The contest for Kenya’s future must be fought with ideas and decided by the people at the ballot. No act of intimidation should ever have a place in that contest. #EndPoliticalViolenceshow more

Canada is a country that is governed by the... rule of law, and the protection of all citizens & the defence of our sovereignty are fundamental to our society. During this time, let us remain united and allow the justice system to proceed as it must.show more

The proposed Constitutional Bill in Zimbabwe is an attack... on democracy by EDMNABANG Rule by terror and threat of terror from ZanuPF Opposition and civil society leaders attacked,imprisoned. Our Gov must speak out Question in Lords !show more

Today, alongside H.E. Kalonzo Musyoka and Hon. Justin Muturi... and members of the Alternative Government, we called for an immediate end to the escalating culture of political intolerance and organized goonism. The attacks on the Linda Mwananchi rally in Kisii were not isolated incidents. They are part of a deliberate pattern of political intolerance designed to deny Kenyans their constitutional freedoms. We refuse to accept violence as the price of political participation. Those responsible must be brought to justice, and the State must demonstrate through action, not words that no one is above the law. If political violence is tolerated today, no Kenyan's rights will be safe tomorrow.show more

. ABAS BYAKAGABA "I want to encourage all political... actors and citizens to exercise their rights responsibly and to respect the rights of others. The laws of the country are not in abeyance during the electoral process. All political activities must be within the confines of the law"show more